11/08/2019 16:43

Between surplus and shortage

[IMG=18711-4302] As experts of Andorra destination told a BANKO correspondent, the market is currently going through a deficit of flights for the New Year dates. As early as before the start of the season market players were worrying about the surplus of flights, so they launched charters basing on the last year’s volumes. ‘Meanwhile, the New Year’s sales virtually increased in three times compared to the previous New Year’s season’, comments Alexander Skalin, general director of ‘Vremya tour’. The reasons for such a burst of interest to Andorra specialists explain by that fact that mountain skiers got accustomed to long vacations which allow buying full-time tours and for the attractive price. ‘The budget of a trip to Andorra is comparable with the one in Bulgaria or Poland, while the service is similar to the Alpine resorts’, believes Irina Zabolotnaya, deputy general director of ‘Neva’ company. The minimum price of the weekly tour with accommodation in 3* hotel with a flight is on average 400 Euro this season according to tour operators. In the end, market players had to review their charter programs and add planes. ‘Neva’, for example, flying with ‘KD-Avia’, decided to schedule for the 2nd of January a larger plane than original B-737 (the new model is not yet announced). Two additional flights for the holidays are launched by ‘Natalie Tours’ (‘Transaero’) and ‘Vremya-tour’ (‘Vim-avia’). However, according to experts’ forecasts, in the near future the situation might change again: in the second half of January – beginning of February a decrease in sales is expected, in the result of which an additional flight risks turning into a surplus. Then, the last year’s experience might be used. Yet, as Sergey Smirnov, deputy general director of VKO Travel, told a BANKO correspondent, his company already plans to combine a charter program with ‘Natalie tours’ and ‘Vremya-tours’ starting from the 18th of January on Wednesdays. Other dates will remain the base programs of these operators.