11/08/2019 16:27

Intourist + Sobi

[IMG=19696-5454] On May 2nd Vedomosti reported, Intourist plan to buy shares of Sobi Company. According to Vedomosti, the transaction will be effected in May. Meanwhile, travel market experts interviewed by a BANKO correspondent doubt the deal will have a considerable impact on the ticket market. They say in the last years the volume of sales of the company reduced while other market players – Transtour Travel and VIP-Service – were strengthening their positions. ‘Sobi used to be on the 3-4th place in the rating of agents’ sales of Aeroflot, but at present it is on 11-12th’, commented one of the travel market players. Moreover, experts do not exclude the possibility that the company will lose this position as the change of ownership might affect the subagent chain. Furthermore, experts believe that the main intrigue is the cost of the deal. According to Vedomosti, it is $ 2, 000 000, however, BANKO information sources consider it to be exaggerated referring to the significant performance decrease of the company in the recent years. ‘The real cost is $600, 000–800, 000’, said an anonymous expert. BANKO will continue reporting on the development of events.