Tourism Association Denies Receiving Official Inquiries Amid Tourist Health Scrutiny

The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) has issued a statement clarifying its position following media reports about health incidents involving tourists abroad. This comes after Russia's consumer watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, said on Thursday it had sent inquiries to Egypt's health ministry and ATOR regarding the death of a Russian tourist in Sharm el-Sheikh. Local hospital sources cited by RIA Novosti attributed the tourist's death to cancer and liver disease.

ATOR's press service stated that its executive directorate has not received any official requests from Rospotrebnadzor in 2026 concerning tourist safety abroad. The association expressed concern over heightened media focus on isolated cases of illness during travel, arguing that statistics show people fall ill no more frequently on vacation than in daily life.

According to ATOR's data, Russian tourists required medical assistance approximately 200,000 times in 2025. The primary reasons were colds, cardiovascular issues, poisonings, and injuries—figures consistent with previous years. The association emphasized that every traveler booked through a tour operator holds medical insurance, placing the responsibility for organizing timely assistance abroad squarely with insurance providers. ATOR maintains that this system reliably supports the well-being of Russian citizens traveling overseas.