The Union of Travel Agencies explained how the earthquake in Turkey will affect the cost of tours and vacations
Photo: REUTERS
There is a great tragedy in Turkey. Thousands dead and tens of thousands injured. The earthquake destroyed and damaged many houses. And scientists are talking about the possibility of new shocks. Against this background, some Russian tourists have a legitimate question. Is it worth going on vacation to Turkey in the coming months and how about tours in 2023 after the earthquake? How safe is it and is it worth buying tours?
Tours to Turkey in 2023 after the earthquake
Travel market experts say the 2023 earthquake shouldn’t affect vacation plans. It happened in a seismic zone near the border with Syria. There is no mass tourism infrastructure.
– The main holiday destinations for Russians are located on the Anatolian coast. They are not affected by hits. All sold tours are valid. Yes, there is a small percentage of customers who might be excited by what happened. Especially if the family planned a vacation with children. But so far there is no data on refusals, explains Sergey Golov, president of the Union of Travel Agencies, a member of the coordinating council of the Public Chamber of Russia.
Is it possible to return money for trips to Turkey in 2023 after the earthquake?
According to him, clients can refuse trips and excursions to Turkey. But in this case, it will be difficult to return the money. Flights to Turkey have not been canceled, hotels have not been affected. There are no objective prerequisites for a refund.
At the same time, experts also do not predict long-term consequences for the Turkish tourism market. The flow of tourists is unlikely to decrease. So prices won’t go down. Despite the fact that they are now even out of season, they are very high. For example, only tickets from Moscow to Antalya for a family of four (with two children) now cost from 100 to 120 thousand rubles. And the cost of tours exceeds 200 – 250 thousand rubles. In summer it will be even more expensive.
– First of all, there are objective difficulties with flights. The flight schedule has been reduced to a minimum. In addition, there are technical nuances associated with prohibitions and penalties. Secondly, in winter there are mainly five-star hotels with their own spa centers. Resting there is expensive. Three- and four-star hotels are closed in the off-season, explains Sergey Golov.
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