Russian tour operators
Russian tour operators have lost about 3 billion rubles, or roughly $37 million, during the first 10 days of the Middle East war as companies rushed to evacuate thousands of stranded tourists and handle mass cancellations.
The financial setback highlights the vulnerability of Russia’s outbound tourism industry to geopolitical crises, especially in the Middle East, which has become a major destination for Russian travellers in recent years.
According to Dmitry Gorin, vice president of the Russian Union of Travel Industry, much of the loss resulted from emergency efforts to return tourists from Gulf countries. Many flights were disrupted by the conflict, forcing tour companies to pay for additional plane tickets, extended hotel stays and other unexpected expenses.
The United Arab Emirates was among the most affected locations because it serves as a major travel hub for Russian tourists and transit passengers.
Authorities say about 46,000 Russian citizens have already been evacuated from the Persian Gulf region. Roughly half of them were organised tourists who travelled through tour operators.
Despite those evacuations, more than 5,000 Russians remain abroad across several countries. Around 1,500 of them are organised tourists, many of whom were travelling through the UAE when flights were disrupted.
Refund pressure expected to increase
Tour operators warn that their biggest financial challenge may still be ahead as they prepare to refund cancelled trips scheduled for March, April and May.
Russia’s Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov recently said travel companies must fully reimburse customers after the Foreign Ministry advised citizens to avoid visiting the region due to the ongoing fighting. As a result, operators cannot deduct expenses already spent on organising tours.
To reduce pressure on the industry, the government has allowed companies to use funds from their liability reserves to process refunds. Officials have also postponed annual contributions to the reserve fund by three months.
The Middle East has become increasingly popular among Russian tourists. Government data shows Russians made 13.4 million international tourist trips last year, including 4.6 million to Turkey and 1.7 million to the UAE.
