Summer trips of Russians to Turkey are under threat
The summer season in Turkey, before the beginning of which there is a month and a half, was under threat - on Monday, April 10, Rosaviatsia sent letters to airlines in which it warned carriers about the possible suspension of charter communication with the Republic of Turkey due to the tense political situation.
It should be noted that a week ago, experts interviewed by the correspondent of the information group “TURPROM”, urged tour operators and travel agents to be careful when selling tours to Turkey, because of high political risks.
I have said many times that if President Recep Tayyip Erdogan does not make mistakes, then this season will be very good for the direction. Unfortunately, Mr. Erdogan again took up the support of the United States, so we do not rule out this option, said Gennady Kosarev, Deputy President of Natalie Tours. According to him, if the ban is imposed, tour operators will need to immediately redirect tourists to other countries.
Reports about the letter of Rosaviation were discussed in the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), experts noted that information about a possible ban is not a guide to action or a directive. “This is not a ban in any case, this is a warning, this is a request of the regulator to take into account the possibility of the emergence of this factor, which may with some probability affect – or not affect – transportation,” one representative of the tourist market said.
Russia’s activities in Turkey in 2017 are complicated by serious problems. Experts note that relations between Moscow and Ankara can hardly be called partnership. Difficulty in contradictory views of Russia and Turkey on different issues. Military-political relations are a conflict in Syria: Russia cannot stop interaction with the Kurds, and Turkey resists any increase in their influence. Economic sphere: Russia did not lift the ban on the supply of Turkish tomatoes (to support its own producers), these measures did not like the leadership of the Republic of Turkey: closed ports for receiving ferries from the Crimea, introduced protective duties on the import of Russian wheat, which hurt domestic agricultural producers.
The warnings of Rosaviatsiya in light of all the above look adequate, because, as practice showed last year, Russian tourists are a serious lever of influence in the political game, and it cannot be ruled out that this year the situation will repeat.
Photo and source tourprom