The Association of Tour Operators of Russia states that the exclusion of certain travel agencies from the Unified Federal Register is conditional.
On December 30, Rostourism banned the activities of 19 tour operators. This list includes Pegas Touristik, Pegas Tours (with offices in Kazan, Ufa, Yekaterinburg, Samara, Perm, Krasnodar, Surgut, and Khabarovsk), Renaissance Property Management, Anex Tour Moscow, Anex Tour Regions, and the travel agencies Attida Travel and Bentur Moscow.
Last week, the head of the organization's legal department, Izo Arakhamia, officially announced that travel agencies would be able to return to their previous operating procedures within 7-8 days if they provide documents confirming the absence of Turkish citizens on their staff or in the management. Meanwhile, ATOR Executive Director Maya Lomidze reports that even without the necessary documents, virtually all companies on the blacklist continue to operate without any legal restrictions.
"These travel agencies have been banned at the state level due to the intensification of sanctions against Turkey. However, no significant changes in the operations of these tour operators are expected. Most of the packages sold for the New Year holidays and the rest of January are still being successfully sold. Tour operators are fulfilling all their terms and conditions, so Russian tourists have no particular reason to abandon the republic's seaside resorts. The effect of this ban is currently only noticeable at a formal level. In reality, the companies will continue to operate unless Russian tourists themselves decide to heed the advice of the government and state agencies not to travel to Turkey," said Maya Lomidze.
