The tour demands of tourists in Greece have increase by 110% compared to March, according to the association of Operators of Russia. These information’s were presented in an article titled ''The return to Greece'' published in a Russian Magazine. ‘‘With the subtitle'': The Greek area was included in the top three on the preferences of Russians.
The most popular foreign destinations among Russian in April were Egypt and Turkey. According to the commercial director of travel agency Ambotis Holidays Konstantin Gorin, there is one factor that worked in favour of Greece, and it is nothing like the alignment of the exchange rate of the euro-the dollar. However, he said Mr Gorin despite the decline in the cost of air travel, visa issue'' is not going anywhere. At the same time, as the advisor to the Russian consulate General in Thessaloniki Najaf Abdullayev: ''The question of the issuance of visas- it is a matter of reciprocity , the level and nature of relations between the two countries'' According to Mr Abdullayev, ''Greece is a member of EU, and given that there are possibilities of extending visas, increase the number of residence day. On a reciprocal basis the citizens of Greece in Russia and Russian in Greece. Before the period of validity was canculated for days, sometimes weeks, how have an opportunity to issue an annual, biennial, and even a three-year visa, which we are actively practicing. We are actively working to increase up to five years.
The article notes that the Greek area suffered greatly in the last season, not only because of the ruble of the collapse, but also because of the bankruptcy of a number of travel agencies, which has led to an increase in confidence of tourists to the tourist market. However, as reported in the newspaper the Greek National Tourism organization, it is currently impossible to estimate in numbers decrease in the number of tourists from Russia to Greece, because it is not just about Greece, but of the outbound tourism in general.
''We add optimism that, despite everything, Russians love this country and like to visit it often again and again. This is an evidence that emerged by resent years statistics indicating that Greece remains in the leading position on the preferences of Russians'' says the organization.
It concludes with the words of the Chairman of the Association of Hoteliers and Tourism Halkidiki Grigoris Tasios that ''Despite the decline in demand from the Russian Market, there is an interest to invest, in the hotel business, come investors who are building new hotels, including Russians.