Weak rouble sees drop in Russian tourists

Sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union and the United States have weakened the ruble, pushed big Russian travel operators like Labirint and Intaer into bankruptcy and the foreign travel of Russian state employees have been curbed. Result: No Russian charters will touch down in the state capital in the first week of October, the official start of the tourism season.

Fall in Russian footfalls will be a huge blow to Kerala Tourism.

Russian tourists to the state have been increasing since 2011. From 12,000, the number rose to 20,000 in 2013.

“Russians had also somewhat made up the fall in the number of English tourists to the state,” said Sudhiesh Kumar of Kerala Hotel and Restaurants Association.

Ever since the British charters topped operation six years ago, it were the Russian charters that began in 2011 that flew in the numbers.

Mr Sudhiesh said that there was confirmation that Russian charters will not arrive.

“We are told that it will not be profitable for them to fly to Kerala,” Mr Sudhiesh said. Russian tour agent Dr Manoj Khan said that Russian charters would not arrive was clear even during the Euro Expo held in Moscow during the third week of September.

The South Kerala Hoteliers’ Forum, to make things economical for the charters, wanted the Tourism Department to bear the parking charge of Rs 1.6 lakh per charter.

The SKHF also proposed that the entry fee of Rs 750 per passenger would be shared by the hotels and resorts in which the passengers are lodged.

“We are still open to the proposal if it could bring in the numbers. The non-availability of charters is indeed a source of worry,” said tourism principal secretary Suman Billa. Mr Billa, however, seems not unduly worried.

“Our international arrivals are still 8-9 percent higher than last year,” Mr Billa said.