Russia is expected to increase domestic tourism
M. Lomidze, Executive Director of ATOR, believes that until September we should not wait for the lifting of bans on the sale of foreign tours.
Tour operators also believe that: “...hopes for the launch of outbound tourism in the summer are very weak. And, judging by the activity of tourists, they do not want to rest abroad in the upcoming high season. New reservations for July, August are virtually non-existent.”
Customers who bought tours and were unable to take advantage of them will also rebook them, often not for the summer, but for the fall or 2021.
According to the survey of VTsIOM: out of 1,600 respondents, only 4% plan a foreign vacation. Among those who went abroad in 2019, 55% are going on tours in their home country.
If the renewal of charters has to wait at least another three months, regular international flights are likely to resume in full sooner.
Independent tourists will be able to use the opportunity to go to foreign resorts, but experts do not advise to hurry.
Turkey is actively trying to attract Russians, tourists are ready to take in July. Turkish Foreign Minister M. Cavusoglu said that his country is ready to organize charters from Russia to resorts before the resumption of regular flights and take responsibility for the safety of tourists.
His words can be seen as a diplomatic gesture aimed at maintaining a positive image of the country in the eyes of Russians.
“Turkey, which is heavily dependent on tourism, suffers enormous losses due to the coronavirus and will now do everything possible to enter the Russian market as soon as possible – one of the leading tourist traffic volumes <...> I do not think that the new sanitary standards will be observed in the same hotels.” I do not advise tourists to come to Turkey even when regular flights are resumed. It's not safe, said the expert, who asked not to be named.
Observers are wary of Montenegro, recalling the situation when about 1,000 Russians were stuck in the country after the borders were closed. This happened because of the local authorities, which did not allow the Russian carrier to complete the evacuation of Russians to their homeland.
“If a tourist decides to go to foreign resorts in an unorganized manner this summer, he will have to do so on his own responsibility. Including taking into account the conditions under which this or that country will be ready to accept it, the representative of tourist retail said anonymously.
Tour operators will probably not be selling overseas tours this summer, and therefore the rather strict admission conditions will apply only to independent tourists. Anyone who decides to go abroad in the near future will be responsible for themselves, the expert said.
On May 25, Anna Popova, the head of Rospotrebnadzor, said that after returning to Russia from foreign resorts, tourists will have to go to a 14-day quarantine at their own expense.
The start of the season on domestic routes is expected in late June.
Tourist retail notes: the price tag for tours in Russia is acceptable. This became possible due to the entry into the domestic market of outbound tour operators with charters. Tours based on charters have Biblio Globus, ANEX Tour, PEGAS Touristik, Coral Travel, Intourist.
Sochi and other resorts of the Krasnodar region are waiting for the first tourists on June 1.
First, those who plan to rest in the sanatorium on a ticket. If tourists go to Sochi for non-treatment and stay in hotels/private sector, they will have to undergo 14-day isolation. These conditions are in effect until June 6.
The dates of lifting restrictions in Crimea are not yet clear, but market experts believe that the main tourist regions of our country will be available to tourists during June-mid-July.
Source: iz
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