Some 130,000 Russians have lost money or needed emergency help with air tickets to return home from interrupted overseas vacations after more than a dozen travel agencies went bankrupt over the past two months, Interfax reported Wednesday.
At least 14 travel agencies in Russia folded between mid-July and mid-September as part of a "deep systemic crisis exacerbated by political and economic factors," with demand for tour packages falling 30-50 percent this year alone, Irina Tyurina, spokeswoman for the Russian Tourism Industry Union, said in comments carried by Interfax.
About 56,000 Russians needed emergency help overseas after their travel operators went bust, leaving clients facing eviction from hotels over unpaid bills and without air tickets home, Tyurina said.
Meanwhile, federal lawmaker Mikhail Starshinov from the ruling United Russia party has called for investigators to conduct an inquiry into the country's tourism industry watchdog, Rostourism, because of the rash of bankruptcies, Interfax reported.
"I am more than certain that our bureaucrats from Rostourism aren't thinking about … our citizens getting into unpleasant situations abroad," Starshinov said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.