Tourwix News
06.03.2022 329
Tourism: Covid-19 is over, the war begins!
How will tourism develop in 2022? Tourism, which has been waiting for a restart due to the coronavirus pandemic for almost two years, could be hit hard this year by Russia's war in Ukraine, sources said. The travel industry is preparing for the lifting of restrictions in the summer of 2022 but is now grappling with rising costs, safety, Covid-19 uncertainty and war.
The travel and tourism industry is one of the hardest hit sectors by the global coronavirus pandemic and as summer approaches, 2022 is expected to be a year of recovery compared to the previous two years.
The war that Russia waged against Ukraine nine days ago points to a possible disappointment in tourism this year as well.
After two years of pausing travel rules due to changing Covid-19 restrictions, airlines and tour operators are once again preparing for the summer of 2022 amid route closures, cancellations and uncertainties in international travel.
So far, more than 30 countries have closed their airspace to Russia, but the Russian Civil Aviation Authority announced on Tuesday that it has closed its airspace to airlines in at least 37 countries.
In the short term, this could mean canceling flights or changing airlines, while the long-term impact on the travel industry could be more profound.
Rising fuel costs will increase travel prices, what else can we expect?
Global crude oil prices surged above $120 as investors feared Russia's energy exports would be limited or halted due to the conflict in Ukraine.
While some say these price hikes could make any type of travel more expensive, coupled with potentially longer airlines requiring more fuel outside of closed Russian airspace, they will ultimately have to charge higher fees.
At the same time, Lufthansa, Europe's largest airline, said prices are rising for travel, particularly in Asia, while CFO Remco Steenbergen said the airline needed to raise fares to offset rising fuel prices and other costs.
While reports suggest rising wages could lead to a drop in demand, this is bad news for an industry trying to undo the damage done by the pandemic.
Tourist concerns about safety may reduce demand
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency, known as EASA, has warned of a "high risk" for civilian aircraft flying near the Ukrainian border.
The airspace of Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova is also on the risk list.
"In particular, there is a risk that civilian aircraft will be deliberately attacked and misidentified," added the European Aviation Safety Agency, while doubling the warning zone around Ukraine amid fears of "intermediate-range missiles penetrating controlled airspace."
For many travelers and crew already scared of the coronavirus, the thought of flying near conflict zones can be daunting.
"Destinations near Russia may be affected because of consumer fears of an imminent war, although this is not reasonable given the lack of a clear threat from Russia," travel analytics provider Olivier Ponti said in a statement. Called.
What is the loss of tourism revenue?
Russians made more than 10.1 million trips abroad in 2021, according to the Association of Russian Tour Operators (ATOR).
In March, April and May, Russian flight bookings in Ukraine surged to twice their pre-invasion levels, where Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the Maldives and Thailand received the highest bookings, according to the latest figures from travel analytics firm ForwardKeys.
After the war started, between February 24 and 26, the destinations with the highest cancellation rates were Cyprus (300), Egypt (234), Turkey (153), United Kingdom (153), Armenia (200), Maldives. (165).
Emphasizing that sanctions imposed on Russian banks by Visa and Mastercard could make it harder for tourists to make payments, destinations like Turkey, Thailand and Egypt are said to be the top destinations for travel seekers if they don't close their borders.
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