Tour operators lose 1.7 bln rubles from ban on flights to Egypt - Rosturism
MOSCOW. Nov 23 (Interfax) - Major Russian tour operators have lost 1.7 billion rubles from the ban on flights to Egypt, Federal Tourism Agency head Oleg Safonov told reporters on Monday.
"Some 1.7 billion rubles are direct losses incurred by major tour operators, according to their information. The information has been presented to the government, it will now have to be confirmed by tour operators," Safonov said.
Various options are being discussed to reimburse tour operators' losses, he said.
A ban on flights from Russia to Egypt was imposed on November 6. Tour operators and tour agencies were advised to suspend the sale of tours. The decision was made for security reasons after a bombing became the main theory behind the Kogalymavia A321 crash in the Sinai Peninsula. The ban applied to both Red Sea resorts and Cairo.
All 'organized' tourists were repatriated from Egypt by November 20 at the expense of tour operators.