FRANKFURT: German travel giant TUI said Wednesday that bookings were returning to normal levels despite the ongoing Mideast war, as it presented its latest financial results. Tourism in Europe is experiencing a turbulent summer marked by soaring jet fuel prices because of the US and Israeli war against Iran, as well as heatwaves and wildfires in Spain, France, Portugal and Greece. Though booked revenue for the summer was down six percent from the same season last year, TUI — the world’s largest travel group — said bookings over the past four weeks had risen seven percent.

Europe’s largest travel operator said holidaymakers are increasingly booking trips at the last minute.

Tui has suffered a slip in earnings at its airlines business as the Iran war continues to wreak havoc on global tourism routes.