MOSCOW, August 19 (RIA Novosti) – About 40 percent of Russian tourists who have booked trips to Egypt say they will go ahead as planned despite the unrest in the country, though this proportion is falling every day, a Russian tour operator said Monday.
Last week Russia’s tourism watchdog Rostourism advised operators to stop selling Egypt tours and refund money already paid.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry advised Russians not to visit the country due to the widespread violence that followed the Army’s seizure of power on July 3. International media report that at least 830 people have died in the violence since Wednesday.
“About 40 percent want to fly [to Egypt] no matter what,” general director at Pegas Tours Anna Podgornaya told RIA Novosti, adding that this proportion is falling every day.
She also said that unless the Foreign Ministry changes its travel advice the tourist flow to Egypt will gradually dwindle to zero.
Less than 1 percent of Russians who have cancelled tours to Egypt want their money back, with most preferring to select alternate destinations such as Turkey, Tunisia and the UAE, Podgornaya said.
Another Russian tour operator, Biblio Globus, told RIA Novosti clients can cancel tours booked to Egypt and either get a refund or select alternate destinations, with the most popular options being Turkey and Cyprus.
No Russian tourists vacationing in Egypt have sought to cut their trip short, a spokesperson for Rostourism said, adding that resort zones remain calm.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has urged all political forces in Egypt to prevent the further escalation of the violence.
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