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Qatar Tourism announced the agreement with TT-Travel LLC operating as FUN&SUN one of the leading tour operators in the Russian and Commonwealth of Independent States markets. The memorandum was signed on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai which runs through September 17. The partnership will introduce a dedicated charter flight program linking Russian airports directly to Hamad International Airport beginning next month according to the statement from Qatar Tourism.
The program focuses on enhancing air connectivity to support growth in leisure travel from Russia. It is projected to draw more than 22,000 Russian tourists during the 2026-2027 winter season with direct services from Moscow and Yekaterinburg. The collaboration will also facilitate development of integrated holiday packages that combine flights with hotel stays beach resort accommodations sightseeing tours and cultural experiences.
These packages will highlight Qatar’s luxury hospitality family entertainment options prominent cultural landmarks and beach attractions. Qatar Tourism figures show Russian visitor arrivals rose by 30.5 percent in the first 11 months of 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier. The latest initiative builds on prior discussions between Qatari and Russian officials on expanding tourism ties including improved flight schedules and visa facilitation.
FUN&SUN maintains a network of more than 600 partner travel agencies across Russia which will back promotion of the new routes and packages. The operator which served more than 2.2 million tourists in 2024 has executed comparable charter programs to destinations including Thailand and Oman. Its distribution reach is expected to increase awareness of Qatar among Russian travelers seeking winter escapes.
Qatar welcomed 2.338 million visitors through its ports in the first eight months of 2026 according to Qatar Tourism data with GCC countries accounting for 41 percent of arrivals. Europe contributed 20.8 percent of the total while Asia and Oceania made up 20.9 percent. The new charter program aligns with Visit Qatar’s strategy to diversify source markets expand direct connectivity and strengthen the country’s position in the luxury leisure segment from Russia and the CIS.
The partnership reflects ongoing momentum in bilateral tourism between the two nations which saw mutual visits increase 26 percent in 2024 to around 120,000 trips according to Russian economic ministry data. Qatar National Vision 2030 identifies tourism as a strategic pillar for sustainable economic growth. Similar collaborations have enabled FUN&SUN to boost arrivals to other regional destinations such as Salalah in Oman where it partnered on seasonal charters that added thousands of Russian visitors.
