Travel Companies Distance Themselves From Russia
Photo Credit: Aman owner Vladislav Doronin (pictured) distanced himself from Russia this week amid swelling sanctions and anti-Russian sentiment during the country's invasion of Ukraine. Wikimedia / Gesi Schilling
Skift Take
Major travel brands moved quick in response to show support of Ukraine amid the Russian invasion. But some of these companies still have exposure in an increasingly shut-off Russia.
Ukraine Coverage
Skift’s reporters and editors are working to explain how the war on Ukraine is impacting travel. All of our stories about the subject are free for all readers.Travel companies around the world moved quick in the last week to distance themselves from any perceived ties to Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine.
Vladislav Doronin, the owner of Aman as well as the U.S.-based real estate development firm OKO Group, denounced the invasion in a tweet Tuesday. The statement arrived days after a protest questioning Doronin’s ties to Russia broke out near a nearly complete Aman hotel in New York City, according to The Real Deal.
“I denounce the aggression of Russia on Ukraine and fervently wish for peace,” Doronin said in a statement posted to Twitter. “I was born in the USSR, the Soviet Union, which no longer exists, which comprised both Russia and Ukraine. I left in 1986 before its dissolution and have therefore never been a Russian national. Furthermore, I have not conducted business in Russia for many years.”
Doronin in 2014 purchased the Aman brand, known for its handcrafted resorts that offer privacy and high-end service for guests willing to shell out major money for a nightly stay. Doronin has since worked to expand the brand to new markets, including a highly anticipated and delayed New York City project slated
