tourism industry, like any other business, already hit by the global financial crisis. For Travel Agents financial crisis began even earlier than for many other companies in Russia. Growth rate slowed down when they began to rise sharply, oil prices in mid-2008 and, accordingly, on aviation fuel.
Then it was seen as a temporary phenomenon, but now, despite the fact that oil fell by almost a third situation has not changed, as consumers become less solvent. According to forecasts UNWTO, the increase in the global tourism market in 2008 was 2%, and in 2009 close to the zero point.
Now is the time to learn to exist in the new conditions and create anti-crisis program.
Before the crisis, tour operators revenues steadily increased, while the Russian tourism market is characterized as one of the fastest growing. The growth of the tourism industry celebrated in other countries. Now the situation in most countries is the same: the number of tourists dropped sharply, carriers, hoteliers, tour companies are on the verge of profitability, even if you do not incur losses. Some travel agencies do not stand up and go bankrupt, such as major Estonian travel agency Majakareisid, stopped production soon after the New Year, saying that can not pay taxes. Total before or immediately after the Christmas holidays in Estonia went bankrupt five tourist companies.
Under these circumstances, everyone is trying to survive, how can either reduce the costs of personnel, or trying to attract clients by various special offers or discount programs. For example, the Australian airline Jetstar has recently decided to save on staff as follows: shortly passengers using the services of Jetstar, will register their own luggage.
passengers themselves will weigh their suitcases, to interview yourself for the transport of flammable substances and inscribe his name on the tag, which attaches to luggage. This tag, they will get in a booth equipped with a computer, along with a boarding pass. Of course, few who resort to such exotic measures, mainly offers flights around the world now full of different options for air travel discounts on almost all fronts. We already wrote about special offers UK airlines and airlines, "Russia." Hoteliers also decided to keep and review the "tourist" prices. Many of the hotels of the world now cut prices for its services. For example, the cost of a double room in one of the most popular hotels in Moscow, the most expensive capitals of the world, down from the usual 4,900 rubles to 2,800 rubles per night. There are also more generous offers. For example, in "Holiday Inn Lesnaya is now possible to buy a number for 6980 rubles, while the previous price of the room - 21240 rubles. With travel companies, the situation is different. While the tourist market of mass abandonment of package tours do not. Experts believe that the winter season 2008/2009 will be more or less smoothly, because the vouchers have been paid for in advance, even in the pre-crisis "period, but over the summer season in 2009 feared.
tour companies have to consider a number of features of the behavior of clients in crisis. Inevitably reduce the depth of sales: people can not plan vacation for 3-6 months in advance. In a similar period of the tourists begin to save, go for a shorter period, in the low season. Because of the crisis changed the structure of demand: the rise of interest in low-budget recreation and domestic tourism.
For many tour companies, characterized by low volumes of operations, limited range and narrow network of dealers, in general there is a high probability of bankruptcy or takeover. However, most tour operators do not agree with such a tight worst case scenario, assuming that small and medium-sized companies are now even more likely to survive: they are more mobile, able to adapt quickly to changing conditions, while the major cost of erroneous actions can be much higher.
In connection with the crisis of tour operators are trying to adapt its portfolio to the new conditions. If at first intimidated by the general economic situation and layoffs people would refuse to leave, they are now again go to the travel agency. What do they choose? Traditionally, the palm belongs to the winter ski resorts and beach Egypt. Egyptian authorities are generally pretty optimistic about the development of the tourism industry of the country this year, despite the financial crisis and problems in the neighboring Gaza Strip, waiting for even growth, though at a slower pace. Compared with January last year, in January 2009 had already indicated a 30% decline in second booking of hotels. Naturally the Egyptian government is taking steps to help the tourism industry. For example, hotels exempted from payment of travel fees.
The government of other countries also tries to support the travel business, as it has always been a good item. So, to restore the flow of tourists into the country, in Thailand for three months waiver of fees for entry visas. In addition, the government ordered the substantially lower prices for entrance fees to national museums and parks of the kingdom. The organizers of the conference will be exempt from paying taxes. Another measure would be a pay cut flights for parking aircraft. Likewise, the Government announced its intention to spend $ 450 million to revive the sector, and the airline AirAsia in late December, handed out 100 thousand free tickets to Thailand. So in Thailand as a long-range direction, too, a good chance. In poslenovogodny period observers noted increased interest in exotic tours. In particular, in the same Thailand, India and Indonesia. In Russia, however, the percentage of people going on holiday abroad has always been not very high. It grew from year to year, but now those who are planning to have a rest abroad for the first time, will probably have to postpone the trip indefinitely. And like all the rest, but also to save the crisis is also highly desirable. Russian tourists have found a way: they save on tickets and prefer to rest in the Russian regions. Such a situation can play a "hands on" domestic tourism by encouraging its development. But if you still definitely want to go abroad at a time when the dollar and euro are growing by leaps and bounds, experts advise to book tours in advance, choose well-known hotel chains, and monitor special offers. Many experts expect that the average prices of tours will fall to 15 - 20% in February and on 25 - 30% in March.
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