Europe Sun & Beach - Russian Travel Digest

04.07.2016

Prices for tours to Turkey to decrease after charter flights launched — tour operators

The average cost of travel packages to Turkey may go down by 20-30% after charter flights from Russia to the country are launched, Executive Director of the Association of Tour Operators (ATOR) Maya Lomidze said Monday. "According to preliminary estimates current prices will decrease by 20-30%," she…

04.07.2016

Russian tourists not concerned about security at Turkish resorts — tour operators

Turkey has not yet provided guarantees that vacationing in this country is safe, but Russians are not afraid of this, Maya Lomidze, the Executive Director of the Russian Association of Tour Operators (ATOR), told reporters on Monday. "The security situation in Turkey raises questions," she said. "So…

01.07.2016

Moscow urges Russians to consider terror risks in Turkey trips planning

Russia’s Foreign Ministry urges Russians to consider high terrorist threat risks in Turkey as they are planning their trips to that country, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday. "I would like to emphasize that amid the persisting risk related to possible terrorist threats, it…

30.06.2016

Putin cancels ban on charter flights between Russia, Turkey

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday instructed the government to take measures to cancel the ban on charter flights between the Russian Federation and the Turkish Republic. A relevant instruction is contained in the amendments signed by the president to the decree "On measures to ensure the…

30.06.2016

Russia’s tourism agency starts restoring cooperation with Turkey

Russia’s Federal Tourism Agency (Rosturizm) said Thursday it has launched the process to restore cooperation with Turkey in the sphere of tourism. "The ban on sales of tours to Turkey has been lifted. The Federal Tourism Agency is currently conducting work to restore cooperation with the Turkish Republic…

28.06.2016

Russia-EU dialogue on easing visa procedures underway — diplomat

Visa dialogue with the European Union has not yet been resumed although Russia is successfully working in this area with a number of EU countries, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov said on Tuesday. According to the Russian diplomat, a number of European Union countries, which are interested…

14.06.2016

Russia, Greece sign agreement to expand travel exchanges

Russia’s Federal Tourism Agency (Rostourism) and Greece’s Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism have signed an agreement envisaging a program of joint actions to promote tourist exchanges in 2016-2018. According to a Rostourism press statement released on Monday, the key goal of the agreement…

18.05.2016

Bulgaria will issue visas to Russians within two days

Bulgaria will reduce the visa issuing procedure for Russian tourists to 48 hours, on Friday the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), citing the Ministry of Tourism of Bulgaria, reported. "In particular, for the implementation of the rapid processing of visa procedures for citizens of the Russian…

18.05.2016

From late June, S7 will open flights from Moscow to Barcelona

Starting from June 26, S7 Airlines airline opens direct flights from Moscow to Barcelona, according to the press service of the company. The report notes that Barcelona will be the seventh city in Spain in the network of S7 routes. The flights will be carried out all year round. Flights to Barcelona…

17.05.2016

From May 31, Ellinair will start regular flights from St. Petersburg to Zakynthos

Ellinair airline in the spring-summer season 2016 will start regular flights from St. Petersburg to the Greek island of Zante (Zakynthos Town), according to press service of Pulkovo airport. Flights will be operated on Tuesdays and Saturdays, starting from May 31. In addition, the report says that from…

13.05.2016

Russian aviation watchdog opposes regular air traffic with Turkey

Russia’s aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia is against developing regular air communication with Turkey as long as the situation in that country poses a threat to Russian citizens, Rosaviatsia Chief Alexander Neradko said on Thursday. "Currently, we are against developing regular air communication until the…

12.05.2016

Greece may become most popular destination for Russian tourists this year — official

Greece may become the most popular foreign destination of Russian tourists this year, Head of the Federal Agency for Tourism (Rostourism) Oleg Safonov said on Wednesday. He was speaking at the Russian-Greek tourist forum. "It is difficult to forecast, but judging by the trends we see, I suppose, that…

29.04.2016

Low-cost carrier "Pobeda" will flight to Spain

“We have applied for flights to Barcelona and Girona (a town about 100 km from Barcelona — IF). On Tuesday there was a meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission – we don't know results for this moment," he said, adding that the results may announce next week. He also added, that in case of obtaining…

29.04.2016

The number of Russian tourists to Turkey decreases for 56% since the beginning the year 2016

The number of Russian visitors to Turkey in the first quarter of 2016 is 66,100 Russians. A year earlier the number was 150,800 people, and in 2014 – 207,900 The number of tourists from Germany, where to Turkey comes the most tourists, for the three months of year 2016 decreased in 11.8%, amounting to…

23.03.2016

Air Malta changes airport of arrival in Russia

The airline Air Malta is going to change the arrival airport in Moscow. Since June, it will fly to Sheremetyevo instead of Domodedovo. The final flight to Domodedovo will be held on May 29, the first flight to Sheremetyevo - on June 3. Passengers should carefully check the airport of departure and arrival…

22.03.2016

In February, the number of tourists in Cyprus increased by 30%

In February 2016, the number of international tourists in Cyprus increased by 30.1% mostly because of the Russian and the British travelers, according to Cyprus Statistical Service. The number of tourists in February 2016 amounted to 65.988 thousand people compared to 50.709 thousand people in February…

22.03.2016

Spain opened in Moscow a visa center for tour operators and travel agencies

A second visa center of Spain was opened in Moscow last week to serve only tour operators and travel agencies. "In September 2015a biometric system of Schengen visas was introduces, which caused a slight slowdown in the process of issuing visas. To minimize this effect, the General Consulate of Spain…

21.03.2016

Russian lawmaker blames Erdogan for tourism losses due to worsening relations with Russia

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has created problems for Turkey’s tourism industry by falling out with Russia, first deputy chairman of Russian Federation Council’s Committee on defense and security Frants Klintsevich told journalists on Monday. Commenting on the article in the Wall Street Journal…

17.03.2016

Ural Airlines will start flights from Perm to Bulgaria since June

From June 1, Ural Airlines launch regular flights on the route Perm - Burgas (Bulgaria), the press service of the Perm airport informed. Flights will be operated once a week - on Wednesdays. Flights will be operated by A320 aircraft. Earlier there were only charter flights on the route Perm - Burgas.

14.03.2016

Macedonia again extended the visa-free regime for Russian citizens

For one year more, Macedonia extended unilaterally visa-free entry for Russians, according to the website of the Russian Embassy in the country. Russian citizens can travel to Macedonia without a visa until 15 March 2017. It's enough to have an international passport and medical insurance. "This order…