FUN&SUN announces franchise expansion plans at Bodrum meeting

FUN&SUN outlined its franchise growth targets and support initiatives for travel agencies at a meeting in Bodrum, Türkiye. According to a report published on 25 October 2026, the company plans to expand its network across Russia from 695 offices to more than 750 by 2027. The event covered seasonal results, sales tools, digital transformation and agencies’ operational needs.

Agency network takes centre stage in Bodrum

Travel agency representatives from across Russia attended the meeting at the Xanadu Island Hotel. FUN&SUN Sales and Marketing Director Anna Malinina and Head of Franchising Lilia Galanina shared the company’s current performance and targets for the coming season.

Although the meeting took place in Türkiye, the office numbers and growth target relate to the franchise network in Russia. The plan to exceed 750 offices is therefore not an announcement of new agency openings in Türkiye. Rather, the Bodrum event gave the company an opportunity to review the season with its Russian franchise partners and discuss plans for the next period.

The agenda extended beyond new offices. Alongside seasonal results, participants discussed new sales tools, digital transformation and plans to develop the franchise network. The meeting therefore addressed both network expansion and measures to support existing agencies. For Türkiye’s franchise community, a notable feature was the presentation of growth plans alongside training and on-the-ground support.

120 new offices in 2026, with more than 750 the next target

FUN&SUN reported that it added 120 new offices to its franchise network in 2026. With its total across Russia reaching 695, the company set its next target at more than 750 offices by 2027. The current network size and future target were presented as separate figures at the meeting.

The company also said it had maintained sales volumes at the previous year’s level despite challenging market conditions. It reported a 2% increase in its share of sales among tour operators. These performance figures are based on the company’s own assessment; the stated 2% should not be interpreted as an increase of two percentage points.

Another development highlighted at the meeting was FUN&SUN’s first appearance in Forbes’ “30 Most Profitable Franchises” ranking in 2026. The company placed fifth in the category covering franchise models requiring investment of up to 2 million roubles.

The 2 million rouble figure defines the investment threshold for that ranking category. It should not be read as a fixed set-up budget applicable to every FUN&SUN office. The ranking indicates the company’s position on the list, but is no substitute for the financial terms needed to assess an investment.

Support through training, CRM and office visits

FUN&SUN said it was working on training programmes, a customer relationship management (CRM) system and agency support arrangements to help franchise partners develop their businesses. Projects highlighted at the meeting included the FUN&SUN Academy, the Mystery Shopper programme and the Premium Club, which brings together 26 offices.

Office visits provided one concrete measure of the support activity. Between the start of the year and 25 September, company representatives visited 278 offices to support agencies and help resolve operational issues. Unlike the figure for newly opened offices, this number reflects direct contact with the existing network.

The training agenda focused on strengthening business resilience in changing market conditions and decision-making during crises. Both topics were covered in a training session at the meeting. Support for franchise partners therefore extended beyond sales tools to broader business management issues.

The Academy, CRM system, assessment programmes and office visits were presented as distinct areas of support. The announcement identifies these as initiatives to help agencies develop, but provides no measurement of each initiative’s individual impact on sales. That distinction matters when assessing support activity alongside commercial results.

Winter sales and preparations for summer 2027 to run in parallel

FUN&SUN plans to focus on winter-season sales, preparations for summer 2027 and the expansion of its franchise network across Russia. The announced timetable indicates that existing agencies’ seasonal activities and new office targets will be pursued together.

The central message from the Bodrum meeting was that plans to increase office numbers should be considered alongside support for existing partners. The figures presented covered distinct areas: 120 new offices reflected expansion, 278 office visits demonstrated on-the-ground support, and the training session addressed businesses’ readiness for changing conditions.

Practical takeaway: Entrepreneurs considering a franchise investment should examine a brand’s current office count, the country covered by its growth target and the support available as separate issues. Checking which training, office visits and digital tools are included in the franchise agreement—and avoiding confusion between ranking categories and actual set-up costs—will help them make a better-informed assessment.