Predicted Growth in Russian Demand for Charter Holidays in Greece

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   Experts in Russian tourism to Greece are currently making charter plans for the summer season; they forecast a rise the volume of air traffic of around 30%. Experts note that demand in Russia for travel to Greece is flourishing. Revaz Mgeladze is General Director Deputy of Zeus Travel, a large Moscow travel agency which specializes in the Greek market; Mgeladze explains that the ‘Greek travel market is developing; the last two years have seen a significant rise in demand’.
   This trend is mainly the result of the popularity of regions such as Northern Greece, Crete and Saloniki. Irina Shishkina is Tourism Director of the Moscow based agency Voyage Tourist Club; Shishkina points out that these destinations ‘are actively promoted, therefore they are becoming more and more popular'.
   On the other hand, other areas - such as Rhodes and Corfu - still lack an adequate hotel base; very few hotel rooms are allocated to the Russian market. Such a factor clearly places severe limits on air traffic growth from Russia to Rhodes and Corfu.
   Meanwhile, the expected increase in flight volume will probably result in higher prices for flights. Concrete figures have not been announced yet but behind the scenes of the Russian travel market there is information that air carriers intend to increase prices for their services by 10-20%.
   The high demand for charter flights to Greece restricts the availability of air partners available to tour operating companies; this allows carriers to force up prices. Anatolyi Garkushin is General Director of the Pantheon Travel Company, another Moscow based Greek specialist; Garkushin suggested that ‘I think tour packages will increase in price - mainly due to higher prices for flights; hotels may help us to reduce the impact of the price rises, but only to a limited extent'.