Russians unlikely to choose Egypt tours, do not believe it is safe enough - poll
MOSCOW. April 27 (Interfax) - An overwhelming majority of Russians (90%) have never been to Egypt, and 82% do not plan to visit it in the near future, the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) said on Thursday.
Fourteen percent of 1,200 respondents polled on the phone nationwide on April 24-25 said they wanted to spend their vacations in Egypt either this year or in the near future.
Such intentions were mostly expressed by respondents aged from 25 to 34 (30%), while senior citizens, aged 60 and older, were reluctant to go to Egypt (3%).
Half of respondents (52%) said they would not recommend an Egypt tour to their family members, including 25% who strongly opposed such vacations. Twenty-six percent of respondents, mostly those who had been there multiple times (61%) or at least once (53%) said they would give such advice.
The number of Russians supporting the ban on flights to and from Egypt has fallen over the time it has been in effect to 70% now from 76% in 2015. The share of people opposed to that ban has grown to 20% now from 16% in 2015.
In the opinion of two-thirds of respondents (65%), Egypt is unable to ensure security of Russian tourists. Eighteen percent of the respondents have faith in the anti-terrorist measures taken by Egypt (the percentage is much higher, 42%, amongst the respondents aged from 18 to 24).
Russia banned flights to and from Egypt and recommended that the selling of Egypt tours stop in October 2015, after a Russian passenger jet was blown up in airspace over the Sinai Peninsula.