Russian tour operators started reducing transportation to Greece because of the decline in demand

Russian tour operators started optimizing their transportation programs to Greece because of the reduction in demand against the backdrop of economic problems, the press secretary of the Russian Union of Travel Industry Irina Tyurina said to Interfax.

According to her, the negative news about the situation in Greece is still affecting the demand. The interest of Russians to Greeceas the tourism destination fell, so tour operators had to reduce the planned volumes of traffic. Thus, the company Natalie Tours replaced Yamal airline with smaller aircrafts of Saratov airlines on the route from Moscow to Rhodes from mid August. "According to the company's management, Greece becomes unprofitable destination, losses reach 10-15%," - Irina Tyurina said.

According to tour operators, part of Russians who previously preferred Greece, shifted to Spain and other countries, such as Egypt and Cyprus. Because of this, in the Spanish hotels there even was a shortage of beds: for August all hotels are booked for almost 90%.

"Since the beginning of summer, demand for Greece has been very dynamic. Tours were sold very well in May, we even put an additional aircraft. Then the depth of sales accounted for at least a month, now not more than two weeks," the director of air transportation of tour operator "Mouzenidis Travel" Mikhail Karpov said. He noted that the company has already adapted their charter program to the new economic realities.

The head of Halkidiki and Pelopponess department of Panteon company Alexander Garkushin said that the prices for flight tickets to Greece fell significantly. According to him, tickets to Crete are sold for 150 euro, which is at least 100 euro below cost.

At the same time, tour operators Coral Travel and Pegas Touristik are not planning to adjust summer program to Greece. CEO of Pegas Touristik Anna Podgornaya noted that there are no serious reasons for concern in traveling there, the clients do not try to change Greek resort to any other. She also noted that for many regional tourists, the trip to Greece is now the last chance to obtain a multiple Schengen visa without "fingerprint problems."