The President of the Union of Tourism Industry in Russia, Ilia Umanski, has proposed the creation of a special fund for the evacuation of Russian tourists stranded abroad. According to him, the fund could be financed by contributions collected from each tourist.
Umanski explained that in Russia there are already liability funds for tour operators, which cover the risks for those who buy tour packages. However, a large part of Russians travel on their own, and these mechanisms do not apply in their case.
In the backdrop of the war in Iran, over 50,000 Russian tourists were stranded outside the country. “Tour operators have repatriated all their clients who bought tour packages. But independent tourists are essentially left alone with their problem. That’s why we propose the creation of a common fund, managed by the Ministry of Economic Development, which would be financed by small contributions from each tourist — regardless of whether they bought a tour package or organized their trip themselves,” Umanski stated.
According to him, the proposal to create such a fund has already been submitted to the Ministry of Economic Development.
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