11/08/2019 16:33

2006 FIFA World Cup and Russian Tourism

[IMG=19205-4908] 2006 FIFA World Cup that will be held in Germany from June 9th to July 9th might change the situation with excursion tours to the country. In particular, tour operators forecast problems with tickets for regular flights as active bookings by football fans have started already. Boris Blinov, General Director of Altus Travel Company, believes that the problem of shortage of economy class tickets can be solved if airline companies will launch additional flights for the summer season: ‘Aeroflot and Sibir, for example, take such measures during all important events which stimulate tourist flow’. In Germany there are several airports that accept Russian flights. Besides, as football matches will be held in different cities – Munich, Dresden, Frankfurt – not all flights will be peak. Furthermore, some tour operating companies believe it will be possible to cope without increasing a number of regular flights. Victoria Zhenchevskaya, top-manager of DSBW travel company, believes: ‘it is always possible to find alternative ways – there are low-cost airlines and charter flights. We plan to launch special charters for the peak season for excursion tours the company organises’. Moreover, travel market players are concerned about increase in accommodation and in-country services rates for the period of 2006 FIFA World Cup. Therefore, tour-operating companies in order to avoid increase in price of their packages will have to change the schedule of their programs. Nevertheless, experts point out positive aspects of the FIFA World Cup – it will allow them to assess advantages and disadvantages of new tourist routes.