A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) WAS SIGNED BETWEEN TÜRSAB AND THE RUSSIAN FOUNDATION FOR STRATEGIC RESEARCH, FOLLOWED BY A RUSSIA DESTINATION PROMOTION AND B2B EVENT
The Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB) and the Russian Strategic Research Foundation held a meeting at the TÜRSAB Headquarters on May 13, 2026, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Representing the Russian side at the meeting were: the Consul General of the Russian Federation in Istanbul, Aleksander Kalachev, and the Director of the International Tourism Development Center, Oleg Kochug, Ablyalim Asanov, Senior Specialist of the Department of International Cooperation in the Tourism Sector at the General Directorate for Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects; İldar Gatin, Economic Attaché of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Türkiye; along with Aleksander Bakustin, Timur Safin, Daria Hahalina, and Darya Korobova.
TÜRSAB delegation members included Vice President Davut Günaydın, Board Member Özgür Ildır Öksüz, Presidential Advisor Ertan Demirbaş, Acting Secretary General Çağla Elhan, and Pegas Turistik CIS Countries Coordinator Orhan Sancar.
Following the signing of the cooperation protocol, the Russia Destination Promotion and B2B Event held in the Conference Hall of TÜRSAB’s General Headquarters was attended not only by members of both delegations present at the signing ceremony but also by our Audit Committee Member Yüksel Türemez, President of Istanbul Şişli RRB Servet İtik, President of the Middle East Specialization Committee, Hasan Bayram, and Deputy Representative of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Turkiye, Ruslan Bekuzaro.
During the event, which featured opening remarks by our Board of Directors Vice President and the Consul General of the Russian Federation in Istanbul, presentations were shared on Russia’s prominent destinations—Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, the Altai Republic, and Sochi—and information was provided on business collaboration opportunities in the market. Following the opening remarks and presentations, B2B meetings were held to develop new business partnerships.
We hope that our collaboration will make a productive contribution to our industry.
Contact Information for Regional Representatives
· Zarina Babaeva - Project Manager - MENA and Europe Regional Directorate
BabaevaZF@mos.ru
· Aliya Rafikovna Zhavoronkova - Council for External Relations
aliya.zhavoronkova@tatar.ru
· Olga Petrovna Filipenkova - First Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Altai Republic
info@altai.travel
· Vasily Afanasyev - Deputy General Director for International Projects at “Rosa Khutor”
international@rosakhutor.ru
