Venezuela’s fragile tourism revival has been thrown into turmoil as escalating conflict with the United States strands thousands of foreign visitors in the country, snarls flight schedules across the Americas and leaves governments scrambling to organize emergency routes home.

What began in late 2025 as mounting aviation warnings and airline cancellations has, after US airstrikes on January 3, 2026, hardened into a near-total shutdown of international air links that many in the industry describe as the most acute travel crisis in the region in decades.

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From Cautious Rebound to Sudden Crisis

Over the past two years, Venezuela had been tentatively reappearing on the tourism map after a long period of political and economic isolation.

Improved security in some regions, a partial dollarization of the economy and aggressive promotion of Caribbean destinations such as Margarita Island, Los Roques and Morrocoy lured back tour operators and niche travelers.

Arrivals remained far below historic highs, but hotel occupancies in key beach areas were clearly rising, according to local tourism chambers and operators.

The fragile rebound coincided with a complex diplomatic thaw involving sanctions relief on Venezuela’s oil sector and cautious re-engagement by European and Latin American carriers.

By mid-2025, a patchwork of direct routes connected Caracas and other cities to Europe, Colombia, Panama and select Caribbean hubs, allowing multi-stop itineraries that once again made the country accessible for long-haul travelers.

That momentum has now been abruptly reversed. Beginning in November 2025, a sharp escalation in tensions between Washington and Caracas set off a wave of aviation safety warnings and cancellations.

As the US Federal Aviation Administration warned of a “worsening security situation” and “heightened military activity” in and around Venezuelan airspace, several major airlines suspended services, severing key bridges at precisely the moment the tourism sector had begun to see sustained demand.

The US airstrikes carried out on January 3, 2026, and the announcement that Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro had been captured and removed from the country, transformed a simmering crisis into a full-blown travel emergency.

With airspace restrictions multiplying and international carriers pulling back, tourists already inside Venezuela suddenly found themselves stranded, with limited options and rapidly changing security advisories.

The current wave of disruption did not come out of nowhere. Throughout late 2025, Washington’s pressure campaign against Caracas intensified under Operation Southern Spear, a US-led operation billed as a counternarcotics effort in the Caribbean and northern South America.

The buildup saw increased US military presence in regional waters and skies, while Venezuelan officials warned repeatedly of what they described as invasion plans.

On November 21, the FAA issued a formal notice highlighting “potentially hazardous” conditions for civil aviation in Venezuelan airspace, citing worsening security and heightened military activity.

Within days, a succession of airlines, including Iberia, TAP, Avianca, LATAM, GOL and Caribbean Airlines, halted flights to the country, many of them indefinitely.

Travel industry analysts estimated that those carriers accounted for a significant share of long-haul capacity into Caracas and regional hubs, effectively cutting Venezuela off from much of Europe and northern South America.

Caracas responded with fury. In late November, Venezuela’s civil aviation authority revoked the operating permits of six of those foreign airlines, accusing them of aligning with what it called US-sponsored “state terrorism” and asserting that the country would not be “blackmailed” over its airspace.

The move slashed already reduced connectivity, leaving only a small group of regional and national carriers, such as Copa, Wingo, Satena, Boliviana de Aviación and local airlines Avior and Conviasa, still serving the market.

That residual lifeline was cut again in early December, when the remaining carriers suspended routes, citing navigation signal problems and the growing security risks, followed by a sweeping US declaration closing Venezuelan airspace to US carriers and overflights.

By the time US airstrikes hit Caracas and other locations on January 3 and airspace restrictions were tightened further, very few commercial services were still operating.

For tourists in the country, the combination of FAA warnings, Venezuelan bans, and subsequent military action created a near-total freeze in scheduled international air travel.

Thousands Stranded in Caracas and Beach Hubs

The human impact of this geopolitical standoff is most visible in and around Simón Bolívar International Airport outside Caracas and at resort destinations that had been counting on a robust high season.

Hundreds of travelers were already stuck in late November when European and Latin American airlines first cancelled flights.

That figure swelled in December as more carriers pulled out and holidaymakers arrived on what would prove to be some of the last scheduled services.

Regional aviation authorities in Colombia estimated that more than 1,500 passengers were affected almost immediately when Bogota–Caracas services were suspended.

Spanish travel advisers warned that thousands of ticket holders connecting between Madrid and Venezuela were suddenly left without a flight, prompting scenes of confusion at Madrid-Barajas and calls for emergency consular assistance.

At Caracas airport, departures boards quickly emptied to a skeleton schedule of a handful of regional flights and domestic legs.

On the ground in Venezuela’s coastal states and islands, the disruption has been stark. Beach hotels report guests attempting to extend stays day by day while frantically searching for viable overland exit routes via Colombia or Brazil.

Travel agencies in Caracas and Valencia have shifted from selling tours to improvising cross-border bus journeys and private transfers, often at elevated cost and with limited guarantees, particularly in border areas where security conditions remain volatile.

Industry insiders caution that the number of stranded tourists is difficult to quantify precisely, given the country’s fragmented data and the mix of package tourists, independent travelers and members of the diaspora visiting family.

However, regional travel analysts and airline associations say the total number of foreign visitors affected in some way by cancellations and rerouting is now well into the several thousands, concentrated among Europeans, Colombians, Panamanians and other Latin Americans, along with a smaller contingent of Canadians and US nationals.

As the crisis deepened, foreign ministries across Europe and the Americas updated their travel advisories, in some cases moving Venezuela into the highest risk category.

Several governments now formally advise citizens to avoid all nonessential travel to Venezuela, citing security threats, limited consular reach and the near-paralysis of commercial aviation.

For those already inside the country, advisories generally urge travelers to stay informed through embassies and local news, maintain a low profile and be prepared for rapid changes in transportation options.

Travel insurance has emerged as a major flashpoint. While most comprehensive policies cover trip interruption due to security events, the unprecedented combination of military operations, airspace closures and reciprocal airline bans has exposed significant fine print.

Some travelers report difficulties getting reimbursed for unused hotel nights or alternative routes that involve overland travel and combinations of regional flights not covered in standard fare rules.

Others find that their policies exclude coverage for acts of war or government intervention, leaving them to absorb significant out-of-pocket costs.

Air passenger rights frameworks are also under strain. In the European Union, for example, airlines are typically obliged to offer rebooking or refunds in the event of cancellations.

But in cases where carriers suspend entire routes on security grounds without a clear timeline for resuming operations, practical enforcement becomes far more difficult. Some airlines have shifted affected passengers to the few remaining indirect routes via neighboring countries, but those corridors have narrowed as the crisis has intensified, and seats are extremely limited.

Legal experts say that for now the priority is pragmatic rather than judicial. With air traffic in and out of Venezuela either heavily restricted or entirely halted, governments are working behind the scenes to negotiate humanitarian or special flights, even between states that are otherwise diplomatically estranged.

Those flights, if and when they materialize, are expected to prioritize citizens deemed most vulnerable, including those with medical needs, families with small children and travelers whose legal visas or permitted stays are close to expiring.

Tourism Sector Under Severe Strain

The knock-on effects for Venezuela’s already fragile tourism economy are severe. After a modest but tangible rebound in 2023 and 2024, many hotels, restaurants and tour operators had staffed up for what they hoped would be one of the strongest high seasons in years.

Instead, they now confront a paradoxical landscape where beds are full of stranded guests while new bookings have effectively collapsed.

Local tourism leaders warn that prolonged isolation could prove devastating, driving a fresh wave of closures and job losses in a sector that had only recently begun to recover.

Small and medium-sized enterprises, many of them family-run businesses in coastal towns and national park gateways, face particular pressure from rising costs, supply disruptions and currency uncertainty.

While some report that stranded tourists are spending on food and activities to fill unexpectedly extended stays, those receipts rarely offset the broader shock of cancellations and future lost business.

There are also safety and reputational concerns. Tour operators active in adventure and ecotourism fear that even in relatively calm regions, the perception of generalized instability will deter international clients for years to come.

Insurance limitations may make it harder or more expensive to run organized tours, particularly those involving domestic flights or longer overland transfers close to areas where security forces and armed groups are more visible.

International cruise lines, which had been cautiously adding Venezuelan ports to itineraries, are reviewing routes, with several expected to pivot back to more stable Caribbean destinations.

At the same time, domestic tourism may see a short-term boost as Venezuelans who would have traveled abroad for holidays redirect their spending within the country, given outbound flight scarcity and high prices.

However, analysts say any such bump is unlikely to compensate for the loss of higher-spending international visitors, particularly in destinations that depend heavily on foreign currency earnings.

What Travelers Can Realistically Do Now

For tourists currently in Venezuela or who have imminent travel plans, choices are limited and highly dependent on individual circumstances, including nationality, itinerary and financial flexibility.

Travel agencies and consulates emphasize that the first step is to stay closely in touch with airlines, tour operators and official channels from home governments, as the situation remains fast-moving and can shift with little notice.

Those with tickets on suspended routes are typically being offered either a refund or the option to rebook at a much later date, though alternative flights may not exist in the near term.

Travelers who must leave urgently are investigating overland options through Colombia or Brazil, though such journeys can involve lengthy travel on roads whose safety conditions vary considerably by region.

Authorities stress the importance of not attempting border crossings without proper documentation and of coordinating routes with trusted local contacts or recognized travel providers where possible.

Some embassies have begun compiling registries of citizens currently in Venezuela, a common step in crises that can serve as the basis for organizing charter or special humanitarian flights if security conditions allow.

Registration does not guarantee evacuation, but it does increase the likelihood of receiving timely information should opportunities arise.

Travelers are encouraged to keep digital copies of key documents, maintain sufficient cash in widely accepted currencies and be prepared for sporadic disruptions to telecommunications and power in the event of further unrest.

For would-be visitors considering future trips, the message from most governments and industry associations is clear: postpone. Even if hostels and hotels continue to accept bookings, the combination of volatile security conditions, scarce flights, and fast-changing regulations makes it extremely difficult to guarantee safe, predictable itineraries.

Until there is a durable easing of tensions and a clear reopening of commercial aviation, Venezuela is likely to remain off-limits for mainstream international tourism.

FAQ

Q1. How many tourists are currently stranded in Venezuela?
Exact figures are fluid and difficult to verify, but aviation and tourism officials across the region estimate that several thousand foreign visitors have had their travel plans disrupted, with a significant number still unable to leave the country due to suspended flights and closed airspace.

Q2. Which airlines have suspended or lost the right to operate flights to Venezuela?
Since late November 2025, major international carriers including Iberia, TAP, Avianca, LATAM, GOL, Caribbean Airlines and others suspended routes citing security concerns. Venezuelan authorities subsequently revoked operating permits for several of those airlines. Regional carriers such as Copa, Wingo, Satena and Boliviana de Aviación initially continued service but later halted flights as tensions and airspace restrictions intensified.

Q3. Are any commercial flights still operating to and from Venezuela?
As of early January 2026, regular international commercial service is extremely limited and subject to sudden change. A small number of domestic and regional flights may still operate, but most foreign carriers have suspended routes, and US restrictions on Venezuelan airspace have further constrained operations. Travelers should assume options are scarce and confirm directly with airlines before heading to airports.

Q4. Can stranded travelers leave Venezuela by land?
Some visitors are attempting to exit Venezuela via overland routes into neighboring countries such as Colombia and Brazil. While these borders are not universally closed, such journeys can be long, logistically challenging and carry security risks depending on the route. Authorities advise that travelers avoid informal crossings, verify entry requirements in destination countries and, where possible, coordinate travel with reputable operators and consular guidance.

Q5. What should I do if I have a future booking to Venezuela?
Most governments and industry bodies recommend postponing or cancelling nonessential trips. Travelers with upcoming bookings should contact their airline, tour operator or travel agent to explore refunds, credits or alternative destinations. Given the combination of airspace restrictions and political uncertainty, planning new leisure travel to Venezuela in the short term is widely considered inadvisable.

Q6. Will my travel insurance cover this situation?
Coverage depends heavily on the specific policy. Some comprehensive plans may cover trip interruption and additional expenses arising from security incidents and airline cancellations, but many have exclusions for war, civil unrest or government actions. Travelers are urged to read policy terms carefully, document all expenses and maintain written communication with insurers to clarify eligibility for claims.

Q7. Are governments organizing evacuation or special flights?
Several embassies have begun registering citizens currently in Venezuela, a standard step that can precede the organization of special or humanitarian flights. However, such operations depend on security conditions, diplomatic negotiations and available aircraft. At present, there is no broad, coordinated mass evacuation, and any special flights are likely to focus first on the most vulnerable travelers.

Q8. How safe is it to move around inside Venezuela right now?
Conditions vary by region. While some tourist areas remain relatively calm, the US strikes on January 3 and the heightened security posture in major cities have increased the risk of localized unrest, checkpoints and disruptions. Travelers already in the country are generally advised to limit nonessential movement, avoid political gatherings, follow local news closely and heed guidance from their hotel, tour operator and embassy.

Q9. What does this mean for Venezuela’s tourism industry in the longer term?
The sudden isolation has delivered a severe shock to a sector that was only beginning to recover. Many businesses face acute financial strain, and confidence among international tour operators has been badly damaged. Even if air links are partially restored in the coming months, analysts expect it will take years for Venezuela to rebuild its reputation as a viable mainstream destination and for flight networks to return to pre-crisis levels.

Q10. If I am already in Venezuela, what practical steps should I take now?
Travelers should register with their embassy if possible, stay in close contact with airlines or tour operators, keep several days’ worth of cash and essential supplies, and monitor official advisories. It is wise to plan for a longer stay than originally intended, explore safe and realistic exit options, and avoid making large nonrefundable payments for onward travel until a confirmed, viable route out of the country is secured.