Russian tourists to receive refunds for trips to the Middle East
Six Gulf countries included in the compensation list
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has signed an order on compensation for tourists who were unable to travel to the Middle East from February 28 to March 31, 2026, reports Interfax. The money will be paid from tour operators’ personal liability funds within 60 days.
Refund mechanism for canceled trips
Countries and dates
The refund mechanism applies to trips to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. These countries were listed in the government’s travel recommendations due to the military conflict in the region. The specified period is currently February 28 to March 31, although many trips were canceled after this date as well. Another condition concerns the date the contract with the tour operator was signed: only documents issued before March 12, when the government decided on the compensation, will be considered.
Where to apply
Payments are made from the companies’ operating funds. If these are insufficient, funds are drawn from the personal liability fund. Tourists should download the refund request form from the “Turpomoshch” website, fill it out, and submit it to the tour operator in person or send it by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt and an inventory of contents. A passport, tour contract, payment document (or notarized copies), and bank account details for the transfer will be required.
Actions by companies
Tour operators must collect all applications and documents, compile a “Registry of Claims,” and send it to the Turpomoshch association within six months of notification. The association will then make payments from the tour operator’s personal liability fund. If a company does not have sufficient funds, it can submit the registry in parts, but payments will still come from the fund.
The government has granted companies a deferral on contributions to reserve funds for the first quarter — the deadline has been moved from April 15 to June 15. This allows companies to use available funds to settle with clients.
Tурpomoshch will review documents and transfer money to tourists within 60 working days (approximately three months) from the date of receipt of the complete set of documents. Actual receipt of funds may take 4 to 9 months from the date of application.
Financial impact of the Middle East conflict
The Ministry of Economic Development estimates the tourism industry’s losses at 7 billion rubles ($88.5 million). Experts from the Russian Union of Travel Industry estimate daily costs of forced extended stays at $1.5 million per day.
According to the Russian Association of Tour Operators, companies spend over 500 million rubles ($6.3 million) daily on travelers stranded in the Gulf countries due to the escalation. From February 28 to March 5, total expenses exceeded 2.6 billion rubles ($32.8 million). The association warns that losses are growing “geometrically” and could threaten the financial stability of the tourism industry.
ATOR proposes exempting companies in 2026 from contributions to the personal liability fund (including payments for 2024–2025) and allowing the use of fund resources to cover costs of canceled trips and potential legal claims. A corresponding letter has been sent to Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov and his deputy Dmitry Vakhrukov.
Changes in tourist flows
Most tourists, 70–80%, prefer rebooking to other countries or postponing trips rather than refunds. Previously, more than 50,000 Russians were reported in the region, with the largest number in the UAE. Tourists tried to leave the conflict zone via charters from Oman and other means. The situation in the Emirates has worsened, with drone and missile attacks already causing fires in hotels and Dubai’s financial center. Airports have also been targeted.
Analysts from International Investment note that the escalation in the Middle East is shifting tourist flows. Travelers are choosing safer destinations, including Georgia, which remains calm and stable. The number of visits to the country is rapidly increasing. This destination is also favored by many investors due to Georgia’s strong economic growth and high rental yields, especially in the luxury branded hotel segment.