ITF 2026 Exclusive: Marina Medved on the Changing Dynamics of Russian Outbound Tourism

At the 4th International Istanbul Tourism Fair (ITF) 2026, Travel And Tour World had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Marina Medved, the seasoned founder and head of the Russian travel agency, Marina Travel Club. With an impressive eighteen years of experience in the global tourism industry, Marina shared her valuable insights into the evolving preferences of Russian travelers and her strategic goals for the upcoming seasons. Returning to the international travel fair circuit after a hiatus to raise her three children, she expressed great enthusiasm for reconnecting with global partners, particularly focusing on establishing direct relationships with hoteliers to fulfill specialized customer requests. During the engaging conversation, Marina highlighted that while her agency caters to bespoke luxury requests like exclusive business-class trips to the Maldives, the core demand remains incredibly robust for traditional package holidays. She noted that Turkey, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates continue to dominate as the top three outbound destinations for her clientele, who predominantly seek relaxing beach getaways seamlessly combined with enriching local excursions.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and your company?

My name is Marina Medved, representing Marina Travel Club from Krasnodar, Russia. I have been operating in the global tourism sector for 18 years. Over nearly two decades, we have scaled our agency to manage both high-volume package tours and specialized bespoke itineraries, catering specifically to the outbound travel demands of the Southern Russian demographic.

What is the strategic importance of your presence here today at the Istanbul International Tourism Fair?

Istanbul is a critical B2B hub for the Eurasian travel market. While I have taken a strategic hiatus from major fairs like the Moscow MITT in recent years, attending ITF 2026 is essential for finalizing our 2027 supplier contracts. According to recent data from the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), Turkey continues to capture roughly 57% of all international summer reservations for Russian travelers. Being here allows us to analyze these macro trends on the ground, bypass intermediaries, and negotiate directly with regional stakeholders to secure our market share for the upcoming seasons.

What are the specific companies or sectors you are targeting for networking?

Our primary objective is establishing direct contracts with hoteliers. In an era of dynamic pricing and fluctuating inventory, securing fixed room allocations and direct communication lines with hotel management is the only way to guarantee fulfillment for our VIP clients. Bypassing third-party bedbanks allows us to maintain competitive margins on standard packages while ensuring we can accommodate the highly specialized, bespoke requests our luxury clientele demand.

What are the travel packages or itineraries your company is developing and launching, especially for this 2027 season?

Our business model relies on two distinct revenue streams. The primary volume driver is standard package travel—bundled charter flights, transfers, and accommodations. However, our highest growth in profitability comes from bespoke FIT (Free Independent Traveler) requests. For instance, we curate exclusive business-class itineraries to the Maldives, negotiating private transfers and specific villa allocations. Yet, industry-wide, 95% to 97% of outbound package demand remains heavily concentrated on accessible seaside resort holidays, which dictates where we allocate the bulk of our contracting efforts.

What are the main destinations you travel to or sell the most to your customers?

Our “big three” outbound markets are Turkey (specifically the Antalya coast), Egypt (Sharm El-Sheikh), and the United Arab Emirates. We are also moving notable volume to Thailand, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka. The continued dominance of Turkey and the Middle East is heavily driven by current geopolitical logistics. With the issuance of multiple-entry Schengen visas dropping by over 90% for Russian citizens recently, visa-free destinations with extensive direct flight connectivity offer the predictability and operational stability our clients require.

How are you adapting your tours to the growing demand for experiential, wellness, or solo travelers?

The baseline demand for our demographic remains the classic “fly-and-flop” beach holiday. However, the definition of that holiday has evolved. We are actively cross-selling modular experiences into standard packages. Clients still want the security of an all-inclusive beach resort, but with the integrated option to add wellness retreats, historical sightseeing, or specialized local excursions. We are building itineraries that offer the infrastructure of a package holiday with the flexibility of experiential travel.

Where exactly in Russia are you operating from, and how do regional logistics impact your business?

We are headquartered in Krasnodar, a major economic engine in Southern Russia. Operating out of this region requires precise logistical management. Because Krasnodar acts as a central hub without immediate international flight connectivity for all our target destinations, we heavily utilize the Sochi transport hub. To ensure a seamless customer experience, we structure our outbound packages to include the five-hour express train transfer from Krasnodar to Sochi. This strategy avoids heavy seasonal road traffic along the Black Sea coast and ensures reliable connections to international flights for our outbound travelers.