Russian tour operators registered a hundred percent loading rate of the first flights to Turkey after charters to the country had been renewed. In some cases, the demand was so high that it was necessary to extend the flight programme duration.
At the end of the first full week of commission charter flights between Russia and Turkey, the demand for tickets to Turkish resorts in Russia has reached a peak level. This was reported by the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR). To meet the high demand, some companies had to increase the number of flights and extend the duration of the flight programme.
“Flights depart absolutely loaded. In Rostov, for example, the demand was so high that it was necessary to provide additional flights and extend the flight programme until mid-November. The first flight from the city was sold out in record time – one and a half working days,” noted the experts.
The General Director of NTK Intourist, Sergey Tolchin, also confirmed that their Turkey flights are loaded. According to his words, the average price of a trip to Antalya dropped by 10-15% due to the increased traffic volume. Moreover, the company has also expanded its regional programme to make it possible to travel to Antalya from twenty Russian cities.
“Turkey is one of the top destinations. The demand does not vary too much throughout regions, it is somewhat even. There is demand for tours in Turkey in Moscow as well as other Russian cities,” said the General Director of Pegas Touristik, Anna Podgornaya.
Another of Russian tour operators, TUI Russia, assured that passengers of the first charter flights to Turkey were left satisfied with the reception. “There are no complaints from tourists, everything is positive. The people did not wait for the opening of their favourite destination in vain,” according to the representatives of TUI Russia.
According to the data from ATOR, Russians traveling to Turkey mostly choose five-star all-inclusive hotels. The price of this kind of trip at TUI Russia for September – October is in the vicinity of 900 euros for two people (for seven days departing from Moscow). For customers of another established Russian tour operator, Coral Travel, the duration of the trip is about 9-11 nights and the average price is $650-700 per person.
According to the tour operators, the price reduction in Turkish hotels is expected towards the end of September, after the conclusion of the nine-day Eid al-Adha holiday.