Posted on 11/25/2015 8:13:47 AM PST by tlozo
Tensions following Turkey's downing of a Russian fighter jet have shrunk the horizon for Russian tourists in search for sunnier climes, and for battered tour operators.
Foreign travel had already been under a dark shadow from a weak economy and the severing of air ties with Egypt after the bombing of a passenger jet.
Officials led by strongman Vladimir Putin warned Russians against travelling to Turkey and insisted the country was no safer than Egypt, where a Russian charter plane flying from the resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh to Saint Petersburg was downed by a bomb last month, killing all 224 people on board.
"Our citizens who are in Turkey could find themselves in danger," Putin said on Wednesday, speaking a day after accusing Turkey of betraying Russia and essentially backing the Islamic State group.
The warning could deliver a blow to the tourism industry in Turkey which was the second most popular destination for Russian tourists in the first half of the year.
Earlier this month, Russia halted all Russian flights to Egypt, a country some 2.6 million Russian tourists visited last year.
After Moscow severed air links with Egypt, many tourists opted to go to Turkey instead but now tensions with Ankara could make sunny holidays all the more inaccessible to Russians, who benefit from a visa-free regime with the country.
"It's impossible to imagine the Russian tour sector without Turkey," said Irina Tyurina, the spokeswoman of the Russian Tourist Union, in comments carried by Interfax news agency.
(Excerpt) Read more at in.news.yahoo.com ...
Good. Let them freeze.
Rule #1: Do not vacation in an islamic country.
Rule #2: Same as Rule #1.
Rule #3: “Free” cruises always come with a catch.
Israel is probably the only somewhat safe option in that region besides Cyprus for Russian tourists. Israel had the advantage of being visa free and containing a large Russian speaking population.
Crimea.
Actually, they haven’t broken out the really “sunny” options yet.......
“Crimea”
Crimea has no electricity.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/22/us-ukraine-crisis-crimea-electricity-idUSKCN0TB04920151122
Who needs electricity when ya got the beach!
Aren’t they already in Orlando, Florida?
Turkey depends on the Russian tourists. For the Russians, it's one of the cheapest places to go. They don't need a visa. If they more on to other places, it is the Turkish economy which will suffer.
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