{
  "id": 7558704,
  "title": "Visit Qatar, FUN&SUN sign strategic MOU to launch direct charter flights from Russia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/visit-qatar-fun-sun-sign-strategic-mou-to-launch-direct-charter",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-15T12:54:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf Times Business",
    "slug": "gulf-times-business",
    "url": "https://www.gulf-times.com/article/733382/business/visit-qatar-funsun-sign-strategic-mou-to-launch-direct-charter-flights-from-russia"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Visit Qatar has teamed up with TT-Travel LLC, a prominent tour operator catering to the Russian and CIS markets, through a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This collaboration, announced during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 in Dubai, aims to introduce direct charter flights from Russia to Qatar.\n\nAs part of the agreement, Visit Qatar and TT-Travel LLC will launch a dedicated charter flight program. This program will commence in October 2026, connecting various airports in Russia directly to Hamad International Airport in Doha. The primary cities for these direct services will be Moscow and Yekaterinburg.\n\nThe partnership is expected to significantly boost leisure traveler numbers from Russia to Qatar. Specifically, it is projected to generate over 22,000 Russian tourist arrivals to Qatar during the 2026/2027 winter season. This increase in direct air connectivity is anticipated to provide Russian travelers with greater convenience and choice when planning winter holidays in Qatar.\n\nBeyond the charter program, the collaboration will also encompass a joint co-marketing campaign. This campaign will be rolled out across key Russian hubs and will include various promotional activities. These activities will range from business-to-business training webinars and retail travel agency incentives to trade roadshows and co-branded digital B2C advertising. FUN&SUN, with its extensive network of more than 600 partner agencies, will play a crucial role in executing these promotional efforts.\n\nThis strategic partnership aligns with Visit Qatar's broader strategy to diversify its international source markets, enhance direct air connectivity, and grow its share of the premium leisure segment in Russia and the CIS. By combining dedicated charter capacity with coordinated destination marketing and leveraging an established travel-trade distribution network, the collaboration aims to strengthen Qatar's presence in the Russian market. This approach is designed to support continued growth in visitor arrivals during the 2026/2027 winter season.",
  "summary": "Visit Qatar signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with TT-Travel LLC (FUN&SUN), one of the leading tour operators on Russian and CIS markets, on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Mark...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Peninsula Qatar Business",
        "title": "Visit Qatar signs a memorandum of understanding with FUN&SUN to launch tourist flights from Russia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/visit-qatar-signs-a-memorandum-of-understanding-with-fun-sun-to",
        "published": "2026-09-15T12:19:07.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}