The prices for tours to Turkey have increased by 30% in season 2019

The cost for rest in Turkey for the next summer season is 20–30% higher than last year. This was reported by travel agencies. According to the retail networks, nowadays the average price for tours in Turkey for March 2019 is 117 thousand Rubles (1,547 Euros), which is 36 thousand Rubles (476 Euros) more than for the same dates of the previous winter. The tendency of increasing prices in the framework of early booking is confirmed by tour operators. According to Sergey Tolchin, the executive director of Intourist tour operator, the price increasing will be about 20–25%. “Focusing on good demand, hotels have increased their base rates by 10–15%. Fuel has increased in price by 1.5 times, which gave an increase of about $ 50 for each ticket. Plus, the ruble exchange rate also is not stable,” he explained. According to the expert, the increase in prices will lead to decrease in tourist flow from Russia. So, many tour operators have already begun to form their programs, taking into account the likely drop in sales. The estimations of travel agents on this issue are divided. Some people have nothing against price increases, believing that there will be a sufficient number of tourists for whom the difference in price does not seem significant. But the commission for each tour, sold by retail companies, will be higher. Some agencies, on the contrary, fear that the number of bookings for the leading summer destination will reduce very noticeably and the blow to the travel agents' pocket will become significant. The Director General of the travel agency "Tourist House" Andrei Burmitsky suggested that the truth in this dispute, as usual, is somewhere in the middle. “Of course, until next summer, the welfare of our citizens will not grow enough to cover this difference. Therefore, part of the tourists, as well as after the closure of Turkey, reorients for the rest in the Crimea and Sochi. May be their number will be about 20%. Because of this, cheap tours and the middle segment will decrease most noticeable. And in the category of expensive packages, price increases will not play a robust role. As for the income of agents, I think it may remain at the same level due to rising prices,” concluded Burmitsky.