The flow of Russian tourists, who will not visit Turkey in the summer of 2016, is likely to be redistributed among Russian resorts and the Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Croatia, as Russian Tour Operator Association (ATOR) Executive Director Maya Lomidze told Interfax website
Travel ban to Turkey in the form of a Russian Foreign Ministry recommendation has been in force since November 24, when Russian tour operators stopped selling tours Tourkia.
Extra 3 to 5 million Russian tourists
According to Ms.Lomidze, Crimea cannot possibly accommodate an extra 3 to 5 million Russian tourists, since beds availability is limited.
This year, over 4 million Russians visited Crimea. Yet, Russian travel industry executives commented that Crimea and Sochi lack luxury hotels and developed infrastructure, such as Russian tourists are accustomed to in Turkey and Egypt, and, therefore, only a part of those, who chose these destinations, will be directed at Russian resorts next summer.
Unique opportunity
Sanctions against Turkey that were signed Saturday by President Vladimir Putin banned Russians tour operators from organizing charter flights to Turkey, and after January 1st, the visa free regime between the two countries also expires.
Head of Russian Federal Tourism Agency Oleg Safonov, however, considers that this Presidential Decree provides a unique opportunity for internal tourism to develop in Russia. “We look forward to an increase in national tourist traffic by 3-5 million, so action must be taken to create high quality infrastructure and develop marketing program to attract foreign tourists in Russia,” he said.
