#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. Travel companies do not hope for the return of tourism to European countries this spring, no matter what they say about the end of the pandemic. This was stated by the President of the Russian Union of Travel Industry Andrey Ignatiev.
“We are talking about the fact that in the next three months, tourist flows to European countries will not be established”, Ignatiev said.
He noted that the only European country that issues tourist visas to Russians is Greece. But no more than 500 people can go there per week. Cyprus has changed the date of the decision on tourists from March 1 to April 1.
“More than 1500 tickets have been sold to Cyprus – just from Moscow, and the decision to open the country from March 1 was canceled. We are waiting for this direction to get open. Russians can apply for an electronic visa to Cyprus, it is very convenient. So far, the opening date has been postponed to April 1. Charter flights have been planned from eight cities”, the expert noted.
In his opinion, at the beginning or in the middle of summer, some Schengen borders may be opened. In particular, an interstate agreement with Bulgaria is expected. However, you should not delude yourself: 2021 will again be the year of domestic tourism for Russians, no matter what officials say about the end of the pandemic. But at the same time, trends may change slightly. For example, fatigue of citizens from a pandemic and being in one place will spur cultural and educational tourism. Many will not go to the cramped beaches of Sochi and Crimea, but will rush to big cities, where there are museums, interesting sights and culture of hospitality.
“The good news is that hotel pricing in major cities will drive this trend. Most likely, prices for accommodation this year will not change relative to last year”, the expert expressed his opinion.
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Text: Elena Popova, Photo: open sources
