11/08/2019 16:47

In expectation of rush

[IMG=18595-4167] On the eve of New Year's holidays several Representative Offices of countries of Europe introduced essential corrections in their work (refer to news as of 30.11). For example, Spanish Consulate recommended accredited agencies to submit documents for visas to fly since 26.12.05 till 05.01.06 before the 19th of December. The day for accepting visa applications has also changed. Considering the fact that the majority of travel trip start on weekends, since the 12th of December till the end of the year agencies will be able to submit applications for visas on Wednesdays instead of Fridays (on the fifth weekday documents will not be accepted). The Austrian Consulate, according to Natalia Novikova, the head of advertisement and marketing department of the VKO Travel, notified all travel firms that all documents for flights on the holiday period should be submitted till the 20th of December. After this date, because of holidays which will last till the 9th of January, the Austrian representative office will not accept any applications but it will issue visas which were applied for before. Meanwhile, as some market participants mention that in the Consulate there are already traditional queues for submitting document and even if you make an appointment at night – you might not be able to have the same day. Other Representative Offices of Europe still work as usual. ‘Some embassies, for example, German, Austrian, Italian and Swiss promised that they work on Monday, on the 26th of December’ -reported Galina Bukreeva, director of tourism in ‘Jet travel’. Main difficulties usually occur after the 20th of December, believe experts. Yet, tour operators interviewed by a BANKO correspondent are not anxious and are ready for peak situation. ‘Certainly, the work is very busy at the moment, but it is usual for the New Year period’, says Tatiana Chuvilkina, deputy PR director in ‘Natalie Tours’. In fact, the problem is not as much in embassies but in agencies, who fail to submit the package of documents for visas on time, say the market participants. ‘If they brought the documents on time, the New Year dates would be closed back in November’, says Yuriy Stepin, deputy general director in PAC Group. Some operators try to stimulate the efficiency of their own partner by raising the cost of visa support in case of procrastination.