Patrick Coveney

At the open of trading, the company's stock lost roughly 5% of its value, settling at 176.5 pence.

Chief Executive Patrick Coveney attributed 1% sales growth across SSP's Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, and Middle East operations to a downturn in tourism.

Coveney said the Middle East conflict had weighed on passenger volumes in those areas, though the breadth of SSP's portfolio placed it in a position to absorb that pressure.

He noted that traffic across the Gulf region has climbed back to around nine-tenths of pre-conflict levels, while zones immediately surrounding it were still drawing mainly shorter haul and locally connecting travelers.