Main page ATOR About ATOR

About ATOR

Over the last decade major changes in the Russian travel market have necessitated cooperative efforts of its participants. That is the reason why representatives of thirty four leading tourist companies assembled in Moscow on January 18, 2007 to set up a public association ATOR – Association of Tour Operators of Russia. According to the information dated June, 2009, ATOR unites 50 biggest Tour Operators of Russia, providing about 70 % of tourist flow of Russia. All the members of Association included into Unified Federal Registre of Russian Tour Operators and have financial guarantees. In 2009 ATOR became an affiliated member of UNWTO.  

President of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia is Aleksandr Radkov, the Head of the Federal Agency for Tourism.

ATOR establishment was prompted by the incorporation of amendments in Law on fundamentals of the tourist activities in the Russian Federation that was a turning point in the market development of tourist services in Russia. The market participants are facing the necessity of enhancing the quality of services they provide. The establishment of ATOR is just a first step in regulating the tourist market from the national and government perspective. 

Our Association includes those Tour Operators who are concerned about not only profits, but also the challenge of developing a nationwide market of tourist services and joint efforts at bringing about civilized standards and transparency of the industry. ATOR became more proactive after the Law on financial guarantees was passed in the summer of 2007. The Law did not cause the market monopolization as some people feared, but, on the contrary, encouraged competition resulting. 

In April, 2008 the decision to reform ATOR into a self-regulating organization with primary intent of developing standards and rules of Tour Operators activities was made. Self-regulation means in this sense an independent enterprising activity in a sphere of working out some standards and rules for tourist industry. In particular, ATOR is now working out the standards of cooperation with insurers. There is also a strategic program of development some standards for effective cooperation with other market participants, such as agencies, transport companies and hotels. The essence of self–regulating Association is to create new rules and standards for their members to fulfill. Disciplinary services may discuss any complaints against the members of organization and impose the penalties on them. That is a field of competence of the Committees of Association. ATOR is able and will be able to speak in support of its members. 

According to the rating of the biggest tour companies of Russia conducted by publishing house “Kommersant” and news agency “Tourinfo” in 2007, a joint turnover of ATOR members was more than 5 billion US dollars and almost 10 million tourists became their clients (including air and railway tickets buyers), that is more than half of the Russian citizens traveling through tour companies. Five top companies of this rating are also ATOR members. 

The ATOR does its best to support the efforts of major operators to invest in building hotels and acquire their own transport for tourists, since it is the only way to make Russian resorts more appealing. 

Association commits itself to safeguard the interests of Russian citizens going abroad as tourists. On more than one occasion ATOR representatives dealt with conflicts over visas for Russian tourists resulting from abrupt changes in consular procedures of foreign Embassies or mistakes made by visa issuing personnel. Association pays great attention to cooperation and ready to cope with such problems together with Consulate services.