Just as DSBW analysts predicted a month ago, in July 2014 the demand for excursion tours to Europe grew almost 19% as compared to June. At the same time, prices for excursion tours have dropped a little, about 6%. These are the results of Excursion Tour Index EXDEX for July 2014, which was compiled by the DSBW analysts.
Only the countries with highly-developed travel industries have the privilege of actively fostering ecotourism. Vivid and bright Thailand, which has been gaining a lot of traction popularity-wise lately, is definitely among these countries. Travel business representatives from the world’s top tourist destinations were presented the philosophy of the Thai way of life at the Thailand Travel Mart (TTM+) exhibition.
Skiathos, covered with lush olive trees and century-old pines, is the smallest inhabited island of the Northern Sporades Archipelago; yet it is quite densely populated because of steep rocks and many wonderful beaches. Media tour participants, along with the first Russian tourists, got the opportunity to experience this exuberance when they set off for the island on June 1. The tour, as well as the flight program, was organized by Panteon tour operator.
The tour operator union is concerned with next year’s proposed implementation of fingerprint recognition procedures for the Schengen visa applicants. In its letter, the union requests clarification in regard to the potential changes.
The DSBW experts expect the demand to increase a little in July. According to the forecast, it will constitute about 20-23 thousand queries in various search engines.
In 2013, Russians were issued the biggest number of visas in Italy: 770 thousand. The country puts great value on Russian tourists. Strained relations between Russia and the EU, coupled with the growth of euro against ruble, makes Italian travel companies uneasy.
Turkish authorities have made a decision to move the date of the new rules on the validity period of foreign passports becoming effective to the end of this year, TRN magazine was told in the Turkish Embassy’s Moscow department of culture and tourism.
It has been over a year since Ruben Beltran received his credentials as Mexico’s ambassador to Russia. In this interview TRN magazine asked the ambassador about the progress that was the embassy has made during the past year in regard to consolidating tourism ties between the two countries, and about what there was still left to do…
During the past year a record-high number of tourists visited Spain’s Catalonia, spending record amounts of money for the region. Being one of the main markets for Catalonia, Russia ranked fifth as to the number of arrivals. At the same time, Catalonia is still the most popular Spanish tourist region among Russians.
In 2012 the United Kingdom was visited by 227 Russian tourists. The official data for the last year has not been published yet. However, Head of Visit Britain Christopher Rodrigues says that there is every reason to believe that in 2013 there will be a significant increase in the tourist flow from Russia.