The Russias are coming
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The Department of Tourism (DoT), fresh from a successful selling mission to the Russian Far Eastern region, said interest has exceeded expectations. The 30-member delegation met more than 80 tour operators from Khabarovsk, and 70 more based in Vladivostok.
“At the end of the three-day marketing activity, we were able to meet with more travel agencies than what was first expected,” DoT Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotions Eduardo Jarque Jr, was quoted by the Manila Bulletin.
In a statement, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said the burgeoning Russina economy is creating a popukation eager to travel.
“They are highly enthusiastic and adventurous. 2007 promises to be another banner year for this market as visitor arrivals in the first quarter are already up by 41.1 percent, which is beyond the 30 percent growth target we set.”
The Philippines - about four to five hours away - is perhaps the closest tropical destination for the Russian Far East, he said.
Vladavia Air Company has recently opened regular weekly charter flights on board a 150-seater TU-154 aircraft to Manila from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the major gateway in this area.
The airline is one of Russia’s largest carriers and transports about 700,000 passengers annually in its international and domestic flights.
”We are making the newly opened schedules a strategic element in marketing the islands,” DoT Team Europe marketing head Verna Covar-Buensuceso was quoted saying.
Buensuceso noted that Russian tourists are shopaholics and are the second biggest spenders out of Europe in terms of expenditure in the Philippines. They usually stay an average 21 days.
“In addition to being shoppers, Russians are attracted to nature and particularly drawn to the sun, sand and sea. These tourists also enjoy fine dining, high quality accommodations and friendly service,” said DoT marketing representative in Russia Edward Gregoriev, DoT Team Europe’s marketing activities has been centered on attracting the Moscow outbound travel segment. The team has already established links with Russia’s diving community to help sell the country’s water sports and marine adventure destinations.
The World Travel and Tourism Council reports that Russia is one of the leading growth markets in the next decade. Visitor arrivals from Russia in 2006 posted a 22.6 percent increase over the 2005 figures
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