[IMG=21900-7719]On December 25th a BANKO correspondent analyzed the most popular winter destinations in the Russian market. According to travel market experts tour packages for the New Year period are practically sold. Alexander Skroman, Head of the South-East Department of Bureau South Cross, commented: ‘there are offers to Singapore and Bali for the second week of January. Thailand follows the same scenario’. He pointed out that January 9th and 14th are in the least demand that provokes the excess of flights on the route.
Meanwhile, General Manager of Pegas Touristik, Anna Podgornaya, observed that this winter Egypt is in high demand amongst Russian tourists – all tours with flights until January 6th are sold. Air traffic volume to Egypt is in balance. In February the traditional drop in demand is expected, therefore Russian travel market players adopt changes to their sales policy in advance.
Meanwhile, the situation regarding demand for Goa disappointed tour operators. Thus, General Director of Vand International Tour, Tatiana Vand, pointed out the excess of flights to the destination. Despite the forecasts, the demand for Goa is not booming, sales are too stable. ‘I think it is explained by the cyclical character of demand for Goa’, commented Podgornaya. Nevertheless, tours with flights until January 17th are practically sold. ‘There are few tours to the Maldives and UAE with flights on January 2nd – 4th’.
Furthermore, while New Year tours to European countries are already sold, tour operators are concerned about low demand for the post New Year period. Tatiana Korshunova, Vice-President, Product Promotion of Lanta-tour Voyage, commented on the situation as follows: ‘the situation is the most difficult with tours to the Czech Republic with a flight on January 14th. 50% of the flight is sold by now. Therefore, we have to put on sale special offers – 232 Euros for tour, while ticket price is 200 Euros. Besides, the situation with tours to Austria and France is not favorable either’. The situation on some European destinations is dramatized by the increase of visa issuing period owing the approaching holiday period.
