11/08/2019 16:38

Without Subsidies

According to experts in Croatia, charter vector may change its traditional direction in summer 2006. Dubrovnik and Split will be out of attention of the travel market due to cancellation of subsidies paid by the Tourism Ministry of Croatia to companies organizing charter flights to the country. Experts agree that April launch of charter programs to Split and Dubrovnik will not be profitable in this situation. ‘The subsidy program suggested obligatory holding the charter program for 24 weeks, from April 29th to October 16th. Now tour operators, relying only on themselves, have to plan their flight programs more carefully in order to avoid losses’, commented Andrey Zabolotnikh, Director Deputy of Acent Travel. Besides, Dubrovnik is characterized by overpriced accommodation. Sergey Prigolovkin, CEO of PAKS Company, said: ‘rates are forecasted to increase at 40% in some hotels’. While Olga Voikina, the Head of Tourist Department of Regulus, supposed that charter programs to Dubrovnik and Split will not be launched before July. Generally, perspectives of these destinations will be clear only in March, when European travel companies will decide about their summer plans. On the background of uncertain situation with Split and Dubrovnik, Pula (Istria) appears to have more potential this summer. According to experts, the majority of hotel rooms allocated to Russia, have been already booked by Russian tour operating companies. As well as before Istria has a limited number of high-quality hotels popular among Russian tourists. Therefore companies have to decide about quotas in winter that stimulates a certainty regarding traffic volume. On the other hand, experts doubt that the dynamic demand for Istria will be satisfied.