Deputy Director of the travel agency “Kiy Avia” Vadim Bavenko told the agency that tours to the UAE have been completely suspended because there is no demand for them. Tourist trips from Ukraine to Egypt have decreased by 40%. The charter travel program to Turkey was supposed to start on April 5, but the first group refused to go. “That is, for those countries that traditionally were in demand during this period, there is actually a disruption,” noted Vadim Bavenko.
At the same time, the flow of tourists to European countries, which are also in demand during this period, has not increased. This, according to the deputy director of the travel firm, is primarily due to visa processing, as embassies are tightening requirements year after year. Vadim Bavenko also noted that at the moment there is no redistribution of the tourist flow from Asian countries to other regions, but this may happen either by the May holidays or at the beginning of the summer season. If the military conflict drags on, a redistribution of tourist flow is expected, primarily to Crimea and Bulgaria. After all, it is easier for a vacationer to find offers from Crimean travel firms on the Internet than to risk their vacation. At the same time, he attributes the decrease in the number of people wishing to visit Thailand more to the end of the season than to military actions in Iraq.
Head of the corporate department of the travel company “SAM” Valentina Glushchenko reported that only a few flew to Egypt on the last tour. The season for trips to Turkey and Saudi Arabia traditionally begins closer to the May holidays, and the agency is still finding it difficult to make predictions.
Administrator of the travel company “Yana” Anna Stremous noted that the number of Ukrainian tourists to other countries, compared to 2002, has generally decreased. Two groups refused tour packages to Egypt, and there are refusals for tour packages to the Arab Emirates. Tours to Turkey are also not in demand, but it is not the season for them now, said the administrator.
At the same time, tour packages to Zakarpattia, Crimea, as well as European countries closest to Ukraine - Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Croatia - are in increasing demand.
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