For 29-year-old Gyanu Kumar Shrestha of Manthali Municipality-9, growing uncertainty over ongoing tensions in West Asia has taken hold, altering his daily life and making his job at a five-star hotel in Dubai increasingly unstable.

Shrestha, who has been working at a five-star hotel in Dubai for the past three years, has been earning over Rs 200,000 a month. However, the growing tensions between the US, Israel and Iran in West Asia have disrupted his daily routine. He is currently in Dubai on his company’s regular leave.

The conflict, which began on February 28, 2026, has gradually begun to affect Dubai’s tourism sector, leading to a decline in hotel occupancy. With the tourist off-season coinciding with the impact of the conflict, many workers in Dubai have been left without work.

“Hotels here are almost shut. There are no customers. I have not worked for the past 15 days,” Shrestha said. “We can hear sounds of explosions from outside, but the situation here is not that terrifying.”

Despite reports of 20 to 25 missile strikes daily, he said life in Dubai remains largely normal. “Missiles explode in the air. There is no direct risk. The government sends alerts on mobile phones for safety,” he said, adding that debris from a blast had once fallen near his hotel.

However, the psychological impact of the security risk has severely affected the tourism sector. With fewer tourists arriving, large hotels are facing operational difficulties. The temporary closure of the hotel where Shrestha works has affected around 500 employees.

“The company pays basic salary for regular leave, but there is no income beyond that,” he said. “It is uncertain when the situation will return to normal. It could take weeks or even months.”

With Ramadan currently underway in Dubai, activities have slowed further. Depending on how the situation evolves, Shrestha is preparing to return to Nepal by late April, amid family pressure and growing uncertainty.

He expressed dissatisfaction over exaggerated videos circulating on social media, which he said has increased concern at home. “Fake videos have made my family more worried. The actual situation here is normal,” he said. “My parents get very scared after watching fake videos. They keep asking me to return home.”

According to Shrestha, Dubai has seen fewer attacks compared to cities with US military bases. “It does not appear that Iran is targeting public areas, but places with US military bases are being attacked,” he said. Four youths from his village are also working in Dubai.

While the tourism sector has been affected, other sectors continue to operate normally, he added.

He is satisfied with his earnings in Dubai, but the current uncertainty has disrupted his future plans.

According to Shrestha, although the situation in Dubai is not as risky as portrayed, his family remains worried. His parents and niece live in the village, while one of his sisters is in Japan.

“There is no such insecurity here. I am safe. The scenes shown on social media are not real, and I have not posted any such videos or photos,” he said, addressing his family.