Why the Tour Operator Register Shows Growth While Companies Are Actually Closing

Official figures: a rise in the number of companies

According to the Ministry of Economic Development’s register, by June 2026 Russia had 442 tour operators engaged in outbound tourism – almost 14 % more than a year earlier. The count of firms operating in domestic tourism slipped slightly to 4,270, and operators offering inbound tours fell to 2,495. At the same time, the number of travel agencies grew by nearly 5 % and topped 39,000.

These numbers give the impression that the sector not only survived but is expanding. Yet another reality lies behind the picture.

What the liquidation data reveal?

The service «Kontur.Fokus» records that in the first half of 2026 2.7 k organisations with tourism listed as their main activity were liquidated in Russia. Compared with the same period a year earlier the figure rose by more than half, and against 2024 it is almost half again higher.

If you compare the closure rate with the growth of new registrations, the net increase in companies over the six‑month period was only 0.84 %, the smallest gain in the last three years.

Why do the numbers diverge?

1. Different accounting criteria

• The Ministry’s register counts only legal entities where tourism is the primary activity. Companies that list tourism as an additional OKVED are omitted.
• «Kontur.Fokus» treats any organisation that mentions tourism, even partially, as closed. Its statistics therefore include firms mainly engaged in education, catering or other services, with tourism just a side line.

2. Liquidation as a result of optimisation

Many small firms that keep tourism as a secondary line have decided to shed non‑core divisions to cut accounting and tax overhead. Formal liquidation takes at least six months, so the current figures reflect decisions made last year.

3. Tax pressure and falling demand

A waning interest in both domestic and outbound trips, coupled with rising fuel prices and logistics complications from international conflicts, has squeezed agency revenues. In that environment opening a new legal entity is less attractive, and existing companies are trimming “heavy” structures.

How is the market responding?

Industry expert Georgy Mokhov (vice‑president of the Russian Union of the Tourism Industry, CEO of the agency «Persona Grata») notes that the sector remains flexible. Rather than a mass exodus, firms prefer to re‑profile – shifting resources from loss‑making lines to more promising ones and cutting non‑core units.

Other market participants surveyed by Business FM do not see an acute crisis. They say the closure trend does not markedly affect the overall picture, although they acknowledge external pressures: geopolitical tension, rising aviation fuel costs and regional economic difficulties.

What does this mean for travelers?

• Prices and offers may shift slightly, but the core range of tours stays accessible. Operators that survive often boost online sales and simplify their product lines.
• Destination choices tilt toward places where demand holds: major cities, popular natural areas and routes supported by state programmes.
• Service quality often improves, as the remaining players concentrate on serving customers rather than maintaining a multitude of legal entities.

Development outlook

Mokhov believes the Russian tourism market will keep optimising: companies shed “dead weight”, but a systemic collapse is not on the horizon. In the coming years we can expect a gradual move toward a more resilient model, with an emphasis on digitalisation, flexible pricing and the growth of domestic routes.

Thus, the rise in the number of tour operators in official registers does not contradict the increase in liquidations; it merely reflects different accounting methods and an industry strategy focused on survival and adaptation.

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If you’re planning a trip, keep an eye on updates from reputable operators and remember that flexibility and readiness for change have become more important than ever.

Based on materials from: trn-news.ru.