Mid-East Turmoil Sends Russian Tour Bookings into a Tailspin

New data from Russia's travel industry reveals a sharp, sudden drop in overseas tour bookings, directly tied to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. According to a report in Kommersant citing major tour operators and the booking service Sletat.ru, sales for 2026 trips plummeted in early March.

The figures are stark. Sletat.ru recorded a 30% weekly sales drop from late February to early March, and a 22% fall compared to the same period last year. The agency Russian Express saw a 65% collapse in early March bookings versus early February. Demand for Egypt, a perennial favorite now close to the conflict zone, has notably weakened, reports online tour hypermarket Travelata.

The core issue is the loss of key transit hubs. With Middle Eastern airports effectively closed as connection points, affordable flight options have vanished. Industry experts note that 40-60% of Russian tourists flying to destinations like Zanzibar, the Seychelles, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka relied on these transit routes. Flights with layovers in the region were not only significantly cheaper—often by half—but also offered a high standard of service, explained Daria Domostroeva, a representative of tour operator Intourist.

This comes at a critical time. "The period from March to May is peak season for the Middle East," said Dmitry Gorin, Vice President of the Russian Union of the Tourism Industry. "The absence of sales to these destinations is dragging down the entire volume of bookings."

The financial impact is already clear. Travelers are facing steep price hikes, with direct flights to destinations bypassing the region now costing between 40,000 and 120,000 rubles more.