[IMG=20945-6775] At the moment two big market players – Jet Travel and Ascent Travel – plan to launch long charter programs to Switzerland. Thus, Jet Travel intends to operate flights to Basel starting from January 3rd, while Ascent Travel plan to operate its own flights to either Geneva or Sion. Before tour operators that specialize in ski resorts operated only short charter programs to Geneva and Zurich for the New Year period. Maxim Pristavko, Commercial Director of Jet Travel, commented: ‘at present many tour operators try to increase sales to Switzerland and to stimulate tourist flow to the country as Swiss resorts can easily compete with Austrian ski resorts. Before not all tour operators paid attention to this nuance’.
Meanwhile, airlines that will be contacted for flights to Switzerland by its consolidators are still unknown. Behind the scenes of travel market they say that Jet Travel will probably cooperate with Kavminvodiavia, while the choice of Ascent Travel will depend on availability of small aircraft like Boeing – 737, in the park of an airline. Boris Bogdanov, General Director of Ascent – avia, explained: ‘Swiss airports can not accept big aircraft. Besides, it is reasonable to start with small volumes’.
Furthermore, while both tour operators bank on their flights, the market place their own stakes. On the one hand, travel market representatives believe in success of Moscow – Basel route as there are no competitive Aeroflot flights to the destination. On the other hand, they doubt the success of the flight to Geneva that like Zurich is Aeroflot prerogative. Sion is not an interesting destination for Aeroflot, but it is inconveniently located. Other experts also point out inconvenient location of Basel that is situated too far from ski resorts.
Meanwhile, the general opinion of travel market professionals is the following: one charter program is enough for the destination. Therefore, they believe that finally one of the consolidators will take blocks on the competitor’s flight. According to Lilia Gorbunova, the Head of Ski Department of UTE, charter flights will engender demand for Switzerland, but at first the one will fly that will better meet the existing demand.
