What war? Yemen, Libya, Iraq promise tourists a great vacation

Ancient ruins, exotic cultures, breathtaking scenery – sounds like a holiday in heaven? More like a travel trip to the Middle East. Just avoid the conflicts.

Fancy a holiday in Yemen? What about Libya? Iraq? It’s a tough sell, but tour operators from locations considered among the world’s most dangerous have been trying to drum up interest at the world’s biggest travel fair, the ITB Berlin in the German capital. Their brochures offer tantalising views of exotic souks, ancient ruins and breathtaking natural scenery, but curious visitors usually end up asking about the latest footage of violence and unrest they’ve seen on the TV news.