The Spanish hotel chain RIU sent warning letters to Russian tour operators, in which said that since April 13, cooperation with the Russian market has been terminated and Russian tourists will not be accepted. Approximately ten Russian tour operators received corresponding letters.
Recall that the Spanish hotel chain RIU Hotels & Resorts, founded in Spain in 1953, currently owns 98 hotels in 19 countries and is considered the 30th largest hotel chain. The hotels of the network are located not only in Spain and Portugal, but also in Bulgaria, Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco. The hotels of the network in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the Maldives, the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka were in demand among Russian tourists, tour operators note.
There is no official announcement on the network's website. However, tour operators working with this hotel group, and these are PAX, Maldives Bonus, ICS Travel Group, Maldiviana, Pantheon, Art Tour, received a letter from the office in the Maldives, as well as the Dominican Republic and Sri Lanka. The letter states that “as of April 13, 2022, we will completely cease sales until further notice.” Tour operators also say they have been assured that tourists who have already booked accommodation will be served, but new bookings will not be confirmed.
Also, according to experts, it is also impossible to book a room for independent tourists. Moreover, RIU Hotels & Resorts has closed access to its website from Russia. However, no official statement has yet been received. According to tour operators, there are alternatives to the Spanish network, however, it was popular with Russian tourists. The Russian tourist market, in turn, sent a letter to the management of the network, in which it called such an act “unacceptable” and “racist”. Read the details here.
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