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Combo tours move sun’n’surf Cuba

09:37, 24 декабря 2012

Tour operators sending our compatriots to the Island of Freedom admit that today’s Cuba is no longer the Caribbean’s leading destination – Mexico is. The experts explain the decline of the demand by two things: in the first place, the Russians, who can afford such trips, have already been to Cuba, and in the second place – the competition from the side of similar resorts of the region has increased due to the expansion of flight programs. That means there’s nothing to say about the increase of the tourist flow to Cuba this winter.

 

“Several charter chains counted against Cuba: to Mexican Cancun, Jamaica, and North of the Dominican Republic – Puerto Plata, which of course attracted the Russians’ attention”, - believes the Head of Latin America’s department of ICS Group Vasily Yakovlev. The head of the PR and advertising department of Caribbean Club Company Vladimir Efimov agrees with his colleague. To his mind, the expansion of flight programs to the Caribbean has “deprived” Cuba of about 10-15% of Russians.

 

Market players differently assess the demand for the forthcoming New Year holidays. In particular, the Head of the Caribbean department of the Russian Express Company Milana Mitkina notes that tickets for the peak dates are still available – 25, 27 and 31 of December. And there are rooms in hotels of different levels.

 

In general, this year’s pre New Year flights are more in demand. After January 1, tours, on the contrary, are less in demand, explains Mr. Efimov. According to ICS Group tour operator, trips are closed better than the previous year: for the after New Year’s dates there are only 5% of total sales volume left uncovered. At the same time, according to Vasily Yakovlev, pre New Year programs are already sold out.

 

However, according to the RATA-news’ source, overstated number of winter flights to Cuba – about 20-25% - remains a serious problem since the last year. Moreover, while Moscow kept last year’s level of conveyance, Saint Petersburg has increased it. So immediately after holidays when the demand traditionally declines, experts forecast a strong dumping on the destination which might last till spring. In such situation sales can be pulled off sacrificing the profit.

 

“For the second year there’s a considerable surplus of conveyance on the destination which is a fertile ground for price wars. In the midst of the dumping, up to 70% of flights might be sold below the prime cost?”, - says Milana Mitkina. Yes, it keeps the tourist flow to Cuba at a rather stable level, continues the representative of Russian Express Company, but it influences the yield of the destination negatively. That’s why a lot of tour operators bet on the components of the program this year. “In winter, combo tours are more likely to be in demand than just Cuba: Cuba + Mexico + Dominican Republic, Cuba + Jamaica + Dominican Republic, Cuba + Peru + Dominican Republic», - confirmed Vasiliy Yakovlev.

 

The worst is that tourists get used to lower prices at traditionally expensive destinations, notes Vladimir Efimov. It’s not Egypt, which is near at hand, that’s why, according to expert’s opinion, it’s not quite normal when vacations at Cuba are offered for 60,000 roubles, and that’s not in a cheap hotel, but in a good 4* one. According to the data of the Caribbean Club, in the coming New Year holidays, an 11-day tour to a 4* hotel will cost about 70,000; 5* vacation will amount to 110,000 per person.

 

Today, the Russians take seventh line in the total tourist flow to Cuba skipping forward tourists from Canada, Great Britain, Argentina, France, Germany and Italy. In 2011, 78 thousand our compatriots have relaxed on Cuba. At the end of the current year our government expects the total of 2.9 million tourists to visit the Island of Freedom. And the next year, according to Cuba’s Minister of tourism Manuel Marrero, they expect to receive over three million foreign guests.

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