Russian tour operators consider the appeal of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Tatyana Golikova with a request not to sell tours to Turkey after June 1 a sign that this country will not open to tourists from Russia in the first summer month. This was announced on Tuesday, April 27, according to RIA Novosti.
“We regard this appeal as a warning and a sign that it is more likely that Turkey and Tanzania will not be opened in June. You need to be prepared for this. But for the official steps tour operators do not have enough statements and requests, business needs a clear position and legal mechanism, “said Tatiana Belova, director of development for the network of travel agencies” TBG “and” Hot tours “.
According to her, the losses incurred by the industry and tourists will be completely different. A traveler can use his money for another trip, and the agents’ business is built at the expense of the tour operator’s agency fee, which will not be paid if the client’s vacation did not take place, the head of the company noted.
“For a number of tour operators, the situation will be critical. Operators have already suspended sales. There is a strong skepticism in the market about the volume of resumed flights. The market is now leaning towards the August opening. As it was done last year, so as not to harm the Russian holiday season, ”said Artur Muradyan, general director of the tour operator Space Travel.
On April 26, it became known that more than 338 thousand organized tourists planned to go to Turkey from June 1 to June 30. It is noted that for the period from April 15 to May 31, more than 533 thousand travelers bought tours to this country.
Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova on April 26 asked tour operators not to sell tours in the period after June 1 to Turkey and Tanzania until the authorities decide on this issue. According to her, the sanitary and epidemiological situation in these countries remains difficult. In particular, in Turkey, Golikova recalled, decisions were made to restrict movement and a curfew.
On April 15, Russia limited air traffic with Turkey and Tanzania until June 1 due to the deterioration of the situation with COVID-19 in these countries.
As the head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova pointed out, Turkey has the highest incidence of coronavirus among the countries with which Russia has air traffic, and it is from this country that Russians bring a variety of COVID-19 strains.