ROBINSON-TOURS TOUR OPERATOR WENT BANKRUPT

The Hungarian company, previously actively involved in outbound and inbound tourism, unexpectedly went bankrupt. Relevant information was posted on the Robinson-Tours Ltd. website. The company that has been operating on the market for a quarter of a century has been ruined by state-imposed restrictions, caused by the pandemic.

The organization was compelled to rescue the clients who stuck abroad exclusively at its own expense. And since the legislation of Hungary does not provide for a system of tourist vouchers, the operator had to refund money to those clients who did not manage to travel because of the pandemic. The lawyers indicate that the company currently has sufficient insurance coverage (380 million forints) as the Hungarian branch of the Colonnade Insurance SA insurance company is to return money for tours that did not take place because of the pandemic. Therefore, bankruptcy was a perfectly reasonable step in this situation.

However, for the Russian partners of the company, such a decision of the Hungarian side was a complete surprise.

The fact is that it was Robinson-Tours operator that received about 50% of tourists from Russia.

Since Russian organizations did not receive any official explanations from the Hungarian side, the corresponding requests were sent to the head office of Robinson-Tours. The Russian unit hastened to reassure the interested public with references to the fact that the liquidation of a Hungarian company would not affect the activities of the Russian tour operator (LLC Travel Company Robinson Tours). Is it possible, given that numerous offices in the largest cities of the country and neighboring countries worked under the Robinson-Tours brand?

According to expert data, some Russian companies had substantial deposits in Robinson Tours. Therefore, many tour operators in Russia (Russian Express, ICS Travel Group, PAKS) are waiting for clarifications. A number of sources indicate that the problems that the company had in the outbound tourism market led the Robinson Tours to bankruptcy and unwillingly affected the quite successful activity of receiving tourists from other countries (including Russia). After all, the Hungarian company conducted all its activities on behalf of one legal entity.

Why did not the company timely inform its partners of the intentions regarding bankruptcy?

The experts suggest that the owners of Robinson Tours want to revive their activities as a destination manager.

For this reason, the Hungarian tour operator is probably in no hurry to notify Russian partners of the official termination of activity. Considering that last year the flow of Russian tourists to Hungary increased by 15%, the company may not be in a hurry to refuse to accept 200 thousand people as soon as the travelling becomes possible again.