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Russians are ready to wait for the whole year for Japaneese cherry trees to bloom

08:07, 21 марта 2011

Following MFA RF Rostourism recommended Russians to refrain from the tourism trips to Japan and to touroperators – to suspend organizing tours to that country. However unlike Egypt where Russians were eager to go even during riots there are not many people who would like to go to Japan now. Virtually all touroperators questioned by RATA-news confirmed cancellation of almost 100% tours. 

Despite the information from our partners that life in Tokio is getting back to normal we cancell all tours because the situation with nuclear power station is not clear, - Elena Kohanova, manager of “Korona travel” company says. – The Japaneese expect that trips would be possible to restart minimum in two – three weeks. According to Mrs. Kohanova around 100 tourists purchases the tour for the Japaneese cherry tree season. Now they are offered trips  to Australia, beach vacation in the South-Eastern Asia, programs South Africa – Zambia – Botswana, Kenya – Tanzania. Those who don't want get their money back. Elena Kohanova explained that the partners withhold only the amount for DHL services for documents delivery. Hotels, train companies and airlines return all amounts without any penalties. «But there are tourists that are ready to wait. For example on Hokkaido you can still see blooming cherry trees during May holidays, - says Mrs. Kohanova. – We have one client who is ready to postpone his trip for one year for next season of bloom of cherry and plum trees».

25% clients of «Japan tour» company are ready to go to another trip, 10% would like to get the money back, others are still considering. According to Murat Tiev, general manager of the company as alternative the clients are offered trips to China and Saipan island.

  Ludmila Sidelnikova from «Varvarka Travel» told RATA-news that everybody give up trips to Japan planned for end of March – beginning of April. And some of the tourists come with lawers, appeal to the Order of Rostourism and demand immediate 100% refund of the costs of the tour. «And how can we organize this if the money was long ago transfered to Japan? We can't use the money of other clients. Waiting for the information from our Japaneese partners that are clarifying possibility of refund with hotels», - explained Mrs. Sidelnikova.

By the way many touroperators said that Aeroflot did not consider this situation force majeure, claiming orally (no written notice was given till yesterday) that they were not planning to refund anything as the situation in Japan according to the airline was normal. JAL is behaving much more loyal.

«We cancelled three excursion groups with departure planned inclusive April 2, that's around 100 persons. We also have individual cancellations, - Irina Serganova, general director of «Kvinta tour» said. – It's difficult to talk about 100% refund to the tourists, but we will do everything possible for that. We hold negotiations with JAL, sent requests to hoteliers but pushing them is unethical».

Anna Umarova from Oriental Discovery confirms that everyone gives up trips to Japan. «We suggest to postpone the trip to May and there are clients willing to do that or to choose alternative destination. The Philippines, China, the Pacific Ocean islands are chosen most of the time. Those who don’t like any of the variants get refund for the group tour minus accrued costs. JAL returned us the money for the group tickets».

The manager of «Astravel» company Maksim Grikhno says that there are even cancellations of the trips for August. Tourists are offered other dates, alternative destinations, China for example, but they are making up their minds. «Most cancellations are done because of the nuclear threat. But there are people that want to go to Japan by all means. And we can execute all our programs in corpore. Our tourists went to Tokyo, they wrote that everything was fine, it shook a bit and there were electricity intermissions but everything worked, - tells Maksim. – Now we are waiting for the answer from Japaneese hoteliers but I think there will be no penalties. JAL promised to refund all tickets till April 10 without fines. So I guess we will be able to return all money to the tourists».

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