The expert spoke about the changes in the protection of tourists' rights in hotels in 2026

In December 2025, a bill was submitted to the State Duma, which for the first time at the federal level establishes the rules for accommodating tourists who encounter overbooking, a situation where there are more sold seats than available rooms. According to the initiative, the hotel will be obliged to provide the guest with a room of a similar or higher category without any additional payment. Kirill Tekshin, CEO and founder of the TKV Group consulting company, told Izvestia on December 19 about the upcoming changes and mechanisms for protecting tourists.

If the hotel can accommodate the guest only in a room of a lower category or move to another hotel, this is allowed only with the consent of the tourist and with a mandatory refund of the difference in price. The law assigns all costs related to relocation to the accommodation facility where the reservation was originally made, regardless of the format: hotel, hostel, camping or glamping.

"In addition to the amendments to the law on the Basics of Tourism, the updated rules for the provision of hotel services will come into force on March 1, 2026. They actually cancel the concept of a non-refundable fare: if the guest notifies of the cancellation of the reservation before the arrival date, the hotel is obliged to refund the money in full. Previously, this was left at the discretion of the hotel, which often led to conflicts and refusals of payments," said Tekshin.

In addition, the requirements for information that hotels must provide to guests are also expanding. According to the expert, now in the description of the room it is necessary to specify the area, a list of amenities and other characteristics that allow you to understand the living conditions in advance. There were also practical clarifications: at the request of the tourist, the hotel is obliged to provide a blood pressure monitor, while the requirement for boiling water was eliminated as outdated.

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"The new rules do not create unaffordable expenses for businesses. First of all, we are talking about consolidating the basic standards of service that most hotels already adhere to. The law, in fact, structures the responsibilities of hoteliers and makes the market more transparent," the source stressed.

He also explained how to act if a tourist encountered overbooking. It is important to keep all the documents confirming the reservation: vouchers, confirmation letters, screenshots of the payment and correspondence. It is unacceptable to agree to a deterioration in conditions — a room below the category can only be offered with the voluntary consent of the client. It is important to immediately contact the administrator or manager and record the refusal of check-in in writing, on video or in any other way.

If the conflict could not be resolved, the tourist has the right to send an official complaint to the hotel or tour operator with a request to provide a room or refund the money. If you had to look for another place on your own because of overbooking, you can claim compensation for the cost of living and all related expenses. The hotel is obliged to refund the funds within 10 days from the date of filing the claim. If you refuse, you should contact Rospotrebnadzor and Rostourism. Judicial practice shows that when there is evidence of overbooking, decisions are more often made in favor of the tourist.

According to Tekshin, together, the new rules form a comprehensive system for protecting travelers (from the moment of booking to check-in) and contribute to the development of more civilized and predictable rules in the hotel services market.

Alexander Osaulenko, Vice President of the Russian Union of Travel Industry, said on July 23 that new destinations for tourists, including international trends, are opening up in Russia. At the same time, there is an increase in demand for travel to the Middle East. He recalled that new destinations are opening up in Russia this year, for example, the countries of the Middle East — Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia. According to international indicators, these areas are among the most advanced in terms of dynamics.

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