Russian tour operators have successfully returned all "package" tourists from the United Arab Emirates who were stranded following the regional escalation, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia reported.
"Tour operators – members of ATOR – have reported the completion of the evacuation of tourists who purchased package tours. In a few rare instances, travelers chose to remain in the Emirates for personal reasons," the association stated. While the official deadline for the operation was March 15, several major companies reported finishing their evacuation programs as early as March 12.
At the onset of the crisis on February 28, approximately 50,000 Russian tourists were estimated to be in the UAE, including 23,000 organized tourists traveling on package tours, 7,000 travelers who booked hotels through operators but purchased flights independently.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Tim Reckmann/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS