seasonal decline in demand for tourist trips can be fatal for a number of tour operators. For the survival of the company cancel charters and lower prices for tours to attract customers. And yet the number of existing tourism operators have already reduced.
Fall of tourism activity in January led to a reduction in charters. While the brunt on long-haul flights to Cuba, Dominican Republic, Goa, Interfax reports. Transaero Airlines, sends a large share of charters in this direction, as a result of changed my schedule. Thus, from January 20 is canceled only chartered trip from Moscow to Cuba, now there can be reached only on scheduled flights of Aeroflot. With four flights a week to cancel three flights to Goa and in the Dominican Republic. "The airline wishes of customers", - explained to Gazeta.ru spokesman for Transaero Sergei Byhal. Customers - tour operators - in turn explain the reduction in charter programs, the lack of demand for expensive exotic tours. Because of the crisis tourists choose to vacation cost areas. To maintain interest in the other resorts tour operators were forced to reduce the cost of tours. Week tour in Goa on the basis of 2-3 * hotel may be purchased at the end of January for 0 (approximately 25,600 USD. At the current rate), whereas the same tour in January 2008, treated at 00 (to 29 400 at the exchange rate at that time - 24.5 rubles per). But even such measures are insignificant increase customer interest.
Tourist market participants recognize the challenges and impact of the crisis on the industry. It is generated by this lack of confidence in their own future, forcing customers to abandon the long-term planning of recreation. "A year ago at this time we have had already a lot of orders not only for February and March, but the summer months, but now the depth of sales simply zero", - said General Director of the Majestic Park Olga Golovin.
; While many try to explain the decline in the seasonality of tourism. "The tourist business has a pronounced seasonal specificity, since mid-January is traditional deep recession after the holidays", - stressed in one of the companies. But this recession usually lasts until March and repaid by the proceeds from the Christmas holidays. And this year already by the end of 2008 due to general financial crisis, sales of tour operators have fallen by an average of 30%, the situation is not corrected, even New Year's rise in sales. According to respondents' Gazetoy.Ru "operators, sales fell in different directions from 25 to 60%.
Beginning of the year is also presented with an unpleasant surprise - continuing in the new year military actions in Gaza led to a sharp drop in the number of Russian tourists going on vacation in Israel. "Demand for travel to Israel declined by 50-60%", - press-secretary of the Russian Union of Travel Industry Irina Tyurina, ITAR-TASS. "It is especially insulting because - she said - that last year marked an unprecedented increase in tourist flow from Russia to Israel. From January to November 2008 in the Holy Land was visited by 330 thousand of our countrymen, the vast majority - in order to travel ».
Despite attempts to reduce losses and attract customers, tour operators already have loss. After the Christmas holidays with the Russian tourist market disappeared Company "Travel Diva" and "Karya tour", said branch agency "Tourist Information". Both companies are owned by the same owner and specialize in trips to Egypt and Turkey. Earlier in the summer of 2008 went bankrupt operator "Detur. The insurer "Detura" ROSNO already warned that several large tour operators in the Russian market is almost bankrupt. Time has proved the correctness of these words. In addition to the "Diva" series of tour operators have left the "Pegasus", "Voyage Deluxe (operator to Egypt and Greece), the financial problems incurred by the network Kuda.Ru. According to experts, out of the market in the new year may be a few tour operators so-called "second tier". In the ranks remain primarily those offering a wide network of destinations, rather than specializing in one or two countries.

TEXT: Oksana Novozhenin
Photo: ITAR-TASS