Let us recall that on October 17, a conversation took place between the leaders of Russia and Egypt. Vladimir Putin and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, during which a decision was made to resume air traffic between the two countries. Details at the link.
As the deputy reported General Director of TUI Russia – Alexander Alexandrovich Sirchenko:
«– How quickly can you restore the flow of tourists to Egypt?
There is a positive shift, however, it will be possible to talk about tour operators' plans only after issues on ensuring the safety of Russian tourists are resolved, confirmed by official decisions of state bodies. As for the preparation of tourist packages, this can be done very quickly. Within a few weeks, tour operators will be ready to post package tours on their websites.
– Do you think the number of tourists will remain the same or will there still be people who will be afraid to fly to Egypt?
– Security issues are the most important. The tourist flow will also depend on the time of opening of the destination. Egypt has always been in the greatest demand in the autumn, winter and spring. The Red Sea is one of the closest warm seas, which can be reached from Russia in the winter by a short flight. Many tourists love the Red Sea and are waiting for tours to Egyptian resorts. Russians now have the opportunity to visit the Red Sea by booking tours to Jordan and Israel, but it is wrong to call these countries an alternative to Egypt, since each of these countries has its own character and unique features that attract tourists.
– Do you think the cost of tours will change in any way compared to the previous pricing policy?
- Of course, it will change. It is necessary to take into account the inflation processes that have occurred during this time and the volatility of exchange rates. How much it will change will depend, among other things, on the pricing policy of Egyptian hotels, but even if the cost of accommodation in dollar equivalent remains at the same level, for Russians the price of a holiday will change upwards due to the exchange rate difference."
The press service of the tour operator Tez Tour commented on the situation as follows:
"We expect that for the first single flights it will be enough from 7 to 14 days, for a full launch of flight programs and chains, including from the regions, it will take about a month. It is difficult to talk about the cost yet. Of course, the availability of charter flights will make the tourist package cheaper, but the question of the tariff policy of Egyptian hoteliers remains open, to what extent they will be ready to stimulate the Russian market with special offers and discounts, at least at first. If we talk about the tourist flow, then the effect of deferred demand will have an effect and it will certainly be high. The agencies say that there is great interest. But it is difficult to name any digital equivalents yet, we must wait for the opening."
As previously reported, expert groups will be sent to the airports of Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada to assess the safety conditions for Russian citizens.
Source: trn-news.ru
