A little over a week ago TRN I wrote about the strange lull in the Russian tourism market, and for almost a week now, the entire community has been actively discussing the situation related to Natalie Tours. Then came the news of the cancellation of Aurora BG charters and the departure DSBW</strong>We reached out to industry experts and heads of long-established and successful travel agencies for comment. What's going on, exactly, and why now? What's causing such sharp declines? It seemed like the season was promising to be quite successful...
In the opinion of Anna Gustova, director of the travel agency "Diana Green" (Moscow)There are several reasons for this, and one of them is the neglect of travel agencies by tour operators.
"Just a few years ago, tour operators couldn't imagine their lives without travel agencies: we worked harmoniously and productively. Travel agencies had one set of objectives, and tour operators had another. Over the past 10 years, new technologies have entered the market, and the age of online travel has arrived, but this hasn't changed the attitude of those tour operators who value partnerships and understand the essence of the tourism business, even with its partial diversification, toward travel agencies. However, some companies have arrogantly abandoned travel agencies, considering them unnecessary intermediaries in their business amid the development of online technologies and platforms. Tourists began to approach the operator directly, and travel agencies were left with nothing. Among these rejectors were Natalie Tours and DSBW, which had once grown strong thanks to the powerful attraction of tourists and popularization by travel agencies. The results of this strategy weren't long in coming... Moreover, in my opinion, the timing of these companies' exit from the market was also not accidental: the World Cup is underway, all eyes are on it, meaning a major scandal can be avoided. But this is a misconception," Anna Gustova believes.
TRN will continue to update its readers on the opinions of market experts on the current situation.
Source: trn-news.ru