Vice President of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RUTI) Yuri Barzykin suggested that Egypt's opening could occur in early 2018, Interfax-Tourism reports.
"Next year, a destination like Egypt will appear," said Yu. Barzykin. at a press conference organized by the Interfax-Ural agency in Yekaterinburg on Friday.
He added that procedures for restoring regular flights are almost complete.
"As of December, aviation authorities have completed virtually all procedures to resume scheduled flights to Cairo. Charter flights to Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh are a different story," explained Yury Barzykin.
According to Mikhail Maltsev, Executive Director of the Ural Tourism Association and a member of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RUTI) Board of Directors, Ural tour operators will be able to prepare tours to Egypt within two weeks.
"Once the Egyptian destination is officially opened, Ural tour operators will need between a week and two to prepare, adapt, and present their tour products to travel agencies for end consumers," noted M. Maltseva.
Air travel to Egypt was suspended in November 2015 following a terrorist attack over the Sinai Peninsula that killed over 200 Russians aboard a Kogalymavia airliner. In early September, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed hope that air travel to Egypt would be fully restored soon, provided flight safety was assured.
As reported RIA Novosti Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov announced that he may travel to Egypt with President Vladimir Putin on December 11 as part of a Russian delegation. In that case, the possibility of resuming air travel between the two countries will be discussed.
"There's a possibility (of participating in the visit as part of the Russian delegation – ed.). If I go, then, of course, this issue (the resumption of air travel – ed.) will certainly be on the agenda with my counterpart," Sokolov told RIA Novosti.
When asked whether air travel could resume in the foreseeable future, Sokolov replied that there was no new information on this matter at this time.
Source: trn-news.ru
