Russian Tour Operators Update Cancellation and Rebooking Terms for Middle East Destinations

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Major Russian tour operators have revised their cancellation and rebooking policies for trips to the Persian Gulf countries, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR). The changes come after recommendations from the Russian Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Economic Development advising against travel to certain countries in the region. Previously, most companies offered penalty-free cancellations only for departures up to March 8, but now these favorable terms have been extended to later dates—up to March 31 in some cases.

What options do tour operators offer:

PEGAS Touristik

The company reviews applications individually, starting with the nearest departure dates. There are no time limits for cancellations without actual expenses (AEs) for full package tours. After canceling a tour, agencies are offered the option to rebook the trip with the already paid funds to alternative destinations such as Turkey, Egypt, Thailand, Vietnam, or Russia.

Anex (departures until March 31)

- Transfer of funds to a new tour;
- Change of travel dates;
- Retention of funds in deposit;
- Cancellation without AEs.

For tours with scheduled flights, decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.

FUN&SUN (departures until March 31)

- Rebooking to alternative destinations;
- Postponement of the trip to a later date;
- Individual consideration of applications if necessary.

«Intourist» (departures until March 31 for package tours with block seats)

- Transfer of funds to a new tour;
- Change of travel dates;
- Retention of funds;
- Cancellation without AEs.
For tours with scheduled flights, the conditions depend on airline policies, but in some cases, partners minimize penalties.

Space Travel

- Change of travel dates or destination;
- Cancellation without AEs for departures until March 31.

«Russian Express»

- Rebooking to other destinations;
- Postponement of the trip to later dates;
- Individual solutions upon request.

PAKS (tours until March 31, 2026 inclusive)

- Rebooking to other company destinations with funds transfer;
- Postponement of the trip;
- Cancellation of the tour according to the terms reflected in the personal account.

«Spectrum» (tours until March 31, 2026)

- Rebooking with the transfer of previously paid funds;
- Postponement of the trip;
- Cancellation without AEs for departures until March 15 inclusive (from March 16 to 31—individually);
- Retention of funds for future bookings.

Under the Russian law "On the Fundamentals of Tourist Activity," if a threat to safety arises in the destination country, a tourist or tour operator has the right to demand changes or termination of the contract through court proceedings. In the current situation, companies are offering pre-trial settlement mechanisms—date changes, destination changes, or tour cancellations.

Refund of funds should be made within 10 days, but ATOR notes that this involves mass refunds for accommodation, tour packages, air tickets, and other services. At the same time, large-scale efforts are underway to evacuate Russians from Middle Eastern countries. Given these circumstances, complying with the 10-day deadline may be challenging. Therefore, ATOR plans to request the regulator to officially extend the refund period to 30 calendar days.