Month-Long Queue To The German Embassy

[IMG=20521-6254]The end of the Football World Cup did not stimulate the reduction of work load for tour operators that specialize in the German market. Thus, Svetlana Stroganova, General Director of Eurotravel, said: ‘we hoped that with the end of the World Cup a number of visa applications to the German Embassy will reduce but it did not happen’. According to her, it is still necessary to apply for an interview in the Embassy a month in advance that increases visa issuing period. ‘Those who plan to go to Germany in August for holidays will not have time to get visa and those who intend to go to one of the September exhibitions even do not think now about visa formalities being concerned about summer holidays’, added Stroganova. Tour operators point out that in such situation it would be reasonable to adopt the practice of last year when the Consulate worked extra hours in order to reduce work load. However, some experts believe that emergency measures in the current situation will not have an expected effect. For example, Alexander Turchenko, Director of Chaika tour, says that individual tourists can capitalize on consulate agents working extra hours as traditionally in summer fewer tourists book tours to Germany with travel agents. ‘It will not be a great advantage for tourism. I do not see any problems and I am not concerned about the situation’, said Turchenko in an interview to a BANKO correspondent.