Rostourism frightened tourists by issuing a warning to tour operators in Tunisia - mogu. How can agents and tourists understand the Rostourism warning for Tunisia? Rostourism warning tunisia

With the start of the summer season Russian tourists planning holidays abroad are traditionally warned about the dangers that threaten them there. On June 1, Rospotrebnadzor published a “Memo on maintaining health for those traveling to tourist trips”, which urges not to consume raw water and food, wash hands before eating and, if possible, avoid local catering establishments. More specialized department - federal agency on the subject of tourism spoke a day later, and this statement made a lot of noise.

Rostourism, citing "information from the competent authorities," reported that terrorist groups associated with ISIS (banned in Russia) are preparing a series of actions against tourists, including those from Russia. And the most dangerous from this point of view are the objects on the island of Djerba and in the city of Zarzis, the department noted.

The press service of the Federal Tourism Agency explained to Izvestia that there is no talk of closing the destination or calling not to go to Tunisia yet: these are recommendations for tour operators who should warn their customers about the dangers. The department did not specify which competent authorities that provided such information are in question.

The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) stated on this occasion that tourists are informed about the warnings of Rostourism, but since no recommendations and warnings have been received from the Russian Foreign Ministry, they do not plan to change flight programs. ATOR noted that the Tunisian tour operators, according to them, did not receive any official information about the terrorist threat.

Last year, there were two terrorist attacks against tourists in Tunisia, reminds ATOR First Vice-President Vladimir Kantorovich. - How the situation has changed since then, what they will do there, I do not know. But in general, we have a practice: when there is a terrorist threat in a particular country, the state does not warn, but takes more effective measures, such as a ban on flights (to Egypt) or a ban on the sale of tours (to Turkey).

This week, Izvestia reported that after the closure of the most popular destinations outbound tourism- Turkey and Egypt - the flow of vacationers has shifted to a number of other countries, and a large proportion of tourists are in Tunisia. According to ATOR, if last year 80 thousand Russian citizens visited this country, which is 80% less than in 2014 (obviously, the situation in the economy affected), now the number of flights has increased several times.

Tunisia has recently been positioned as a destination that, quite possibly, will replace Turkey and Egypt, and a huge number of flights from 20 cities of Russia, in addition to Moscow, were organized there during May, ”Irina Tyurina, representative of the Russian Union of Tourism Industry, tells Izvestia. - Sales were very good. Tunisia now ranks third in terms of activity after Greece and Cyprus.

She noted that the statement of Rostourism will alert everyone, and many of those who are planning a vacation in the near future, especially with children, will be afraid to go.

In general, everyone was in limbo, - said Tyurina. - Particularly suspicious can try to pass the vouchers. People are already calling and asking questions: is it dangerous or not dangerous? Tour operators are required to say that there is such a warning. They can’t say anything more, then the person decides for himself. But if someone wants to cancel the ticket, then this warning is not a reason for the tour operator to return the cost of the tour. And if the trip is soon, it's a 100% penalty. There are tour operators who will offer another direction without penalty. But according to the law you can't find fault with them, they will act according to the contract.

Roman Bobylev, an expert of the Public Chamber of Russia on protecting the rights of tourists and passengers, told Izvestiya that he and his colleagues perceived the warning from Rostourism with bewilderment and it raises a number of questions.

The Federal Agency for Tourism does not deal with issues of combating terrorism, so the primary source of this information and the authorized authority that could voice it are the FSB, the Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Intelligence Service, Bobylev noted. - It looks strange to me that there is a statement from the Federal Tourism Agency, but there are no statements from the mentioned structures. This has never happened before: the Security Council and law enforcement agencies have been and are making statements about the situation in Egypt. I think that in the near future we will see a reaction from the Foreign Ministry. I won't be surprised if our ambassador in Tunisia is called in and asked to share this information with the country's authorities.

The expert found it difficult to name the reasons that prompted the department to publish such a warning.

It is unlikely that the head of Rostourism, Oleg Safonov, pursues the goal in this way to fill Russian destinations. Knowing him personally, I am sure that there is no interest in closing the Tunisian direction. Perhaps this is an unnecessary initiative of certain officials in the Federal Tourism Agency, Bobylev said.

He also drew attention to the fact that Russian tourists have recently become much more wary and vigilant: they show more interest in the warnings of Russian state structures, go on excursions less, spend more time on the territory of the hotel (however, this is also due to economy considerations). Tourists call the "hot lines", asking if it is calm in the country where they are thinking of going, if there are any warnings from the Foreign Ministry.

Tour operators are asking more questions. If earlier the guide was broadcasting something on the bus and often there was no feedback - everyone wanted to get to the hotel faster, now everyone is keenly interested in what is happening in a country where it is unsafe, where to go in case of emergency, - said Bobylev, according to estimates which the flow of Russian tourists traveling abroad on tours this year has decreased by 4–5 times.

Recently, there have been many terrorist attacks in various places - both in Europe and in Asia. Involuntarily, we are all immersed in this, ”ATOR representative Vladimir Kantorovich tells Izvestia. - Tunisia, Paris, Brussels, Egypt, Turkey, Israel - all the time there are terrorist attacks by Islamic radicals. Too often to forget about it. Don't let us forget.

Bars in beach hotels serve alcohol even on Friday, All Inclusive does not recognize sacred days.

The rest of the shops that sell alcohol in Tunisia (there are few of them) also close the alcohol departments on Friday. Some bars and restaurants do not serve alcohol to customers.

Friday has its benefits.

As in most Islamic countries, Friday is "market day". Each city has a special market, which is attended by farmers and traders on Friday.

Such markets are located far from tourist areas. They are usually open until lunch, that is, before the Juma prayer, although some are open after lunch. Some are open until Monday, you can say "weekend markets".

These are markets for Tunisians, so prices are much lower here. you can buy the freshest (last harvest) and at a price 1.5-2 times cheaper than in stores. Here you can buy special varieties and very cheap. But you have to bargain! And hide money and documents in your inner pockets, beware of pickpockets!

If you want to get to such a market, then ask the hotel staff at the reception about its location, they usually know. Or get in a taxi and say the phrase "friday market", taxi drivers usually understand.

The most famous market among tourists is located in Nabeul, not far from Martyrs "Square (Martyrs' Square). Tourists from resort hotels come here,.

Many hotels have an Oriental Night dinner on Friday. On this day, musicians are invited to play in a restaurant, they prepare an extended set of dishes, sometimes they arrange an additional show in a restaurant or a master class in cooking one of the national dishes.

Where did all these traditions come from and why are they needed?

Any traditions or customs have their function. In our world, nothing just happens.

Before the advent of Islam, the Arabs were mostly nomadic tribes. They roamed in small groups, often families. Naturally, many problems had to be solved outside of one's family or group. For example, buying or selling something, agreeing on the marriage of a son or daughter, just talking to distant relatives, asking for advice, and the like.

To solve these issues, it was convenient for all the surrounding nomads to gather somewhere in one place and at one time. With the advent of Islam, the mosque became such a place, and Friday became the time. If everyone gathers on Friday in the mosque for a common prayer, then after or before the prayer it is convenient to settle matters, since everyone has gathered. In Arabic, the word "Juma" is translated both as "Friday" and as "meeting".

And where there are many people, there perfect place for trade and exchange. Hence the tradition of holding a market on Friday. For the authorities, such a meeting has always been extremely convenient, it is possible to bring new decrees and laws to everyone.

All these traditions have successfully survived to this day, which means they have retained their functions.

Have a good holiday in Tunisia, and read our useful to tourists and informative articles about this country ( links below).

In which he drew the attention of Russians to the growing terrorist threat in Tunisia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has not made any statements yet. But a small spark was enough to excite tourists planning a trip to the North African state. What does the agency call mean?

As the legal service of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia explained, Rostourism is obliged to inform travel companies and tourists about safety in a particular country, and statements on this topic can be of several types. For example, the announcement of June 2 informs interested parties about the possible unfavorable situation in Tunisia in terms of security Russian citizens. At the same time, this publication does not impose on travel companies the obligation to cancel tours to this country with a full refund for them. Such an obligation for tour operators will appear only if the Federal Tourism Agency announces a halt in sales of tours to Tunisia and a ban on the promotion of tourism products.

The legal service noted that any such statements by Rostourism must be coordinated with the Russian Foreign Ministry. All decisions made by these departments must be posted on their official websites.

To return or not to return, to go or not to go?

It turns out that travelers should take note of the message from the department, like dozens of others, for example. Travel agencies are advised to inform their customers about security threats in the state. At the same time, tourists must make a decision about whether to go to Tunisia or not on their own, analyzing all available information, consulting with employees of operator and agency companies. Those who bought tickets - most importantly, do not panic! In the current situation, travel companies have the right to withhold the costs incurred for organizing tours! Both tourists and travel agents, when communicating with tour operators, should take into account that this moment is beyond their influence.

Do not forget that Rostourism, as a government agency, actively promotes domestic tourism. And according to analysts, the demand for holidays in Russia and Tunisia at the beginning of the summer of 2016 is approximately at the same level - about 10% intend to spend their holidays there and there. It is curious that the message appeared at the beginning of summer, at the start of high season. It turns out that earlier Rostourism had no information from the “competent authorities”. Or maybe I wanted to recommend, but only on May 24 Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko publicly stated that all conditions for the restoration of the tourist flow from Russia to Tunisia are available. Officially, a third party in the state noted that Tunisian law enforcement agencies are taking very serious measures to improve security both in the capital and in the resort area. Where was at that moment Head of Rostourism Oleg Safonov, why not commented in the information field?

And the local authorities will always convince you of safety and give guarantees. Entrances to hotels and beaches are guarded by armed policemen. Every time when entering the territory of hotels from the city, it was necessary to show that it was a laptop in the bag. The tension was felt. Another question is, is someone planning a terrorist attack right now under your nose? We live in such a time...

Rostourism warned Russians about the terrorist threat in Tunisia and Thailand. This is stated in the message on the website of the department.

The threat warning in Tunisia is in effect due to the fact that the country borders on states "where ISIS (Islamic State, has been recognized as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia) is active." Rostourism advised to be especially careful in the resort towns of the country - Sousse, Hammamet, Monastir and on the island of Djerba.

The ministry emphasized that tourists should "refrain from unorganized, especially single, trips to the south of Tunisia," as well as "completely exclude visits to the border areas with Libya and Algeria, and avoid crowded places."

According to the agency, the Russians need to be careful while on holiday in Thailand. The country has a "high level of terrorist threat" against Russians from "radical Islamist groups operating in the country," Rostourism explained.

Terrorist attacks can locals who work in the local tourism industry. Attacks on Russians can be carried out under the guise of accidents involving tourist transport. Therefore, Rostourism called on tour operators who work in Thailand to check the attendants and be careful in case of proposals from employees to change excursion routes.

Tourists have been advised to avoid spontaneous excursions” and recreational trips around the country, which are offered by local employees of tour operators. It is worth attending "only the events originally planned during the design of the tour," the report says.

Be careful at resorts in Thailand Rostourism also urged Russians in mid-April, after visiting the country in the south. According to Reuters, the explosions occurred in the provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Songkla. A spokesman for the military told the agency that two people were killed in the attacks. The attacks, he said, targeted security forces, including police and military personnel, as well as civilians.

At the end of 2016, Thailand and Tunisia were visited by 866.6 and 624 thousand Russian tourists, according to the statistics of the Federal Tourism Agency. Thus, among all directions of outbound tourism, these countries took the 6th and 13th places, respectively. At the same time, the tourist flow to Thailand increased by 28%, and to Tunisia by an impressive 1185%, which is associated with the low base effect. In 2015, only 48.6 thousand Russians visited the Arab country, again because of the high terrorist threat. In June 2015 in resort town Sousa there was a terrorist attack, the victims of which were 39 people.

Traveling to Tunisia or Thailand can be very dangerous if you travel through these countries alone. Rostourism recommended our citizens to be more careful in places where a lot of people gather and not to buy random excursion tours from strangers. Similar warnings have been published before, but now they have new, much more alarming wording. More details - the correspondent of "Vesti FM" Sergey Artemov.

Our fellow citizens traveling to Tunisia and Thailand need to be extremely careful and cautious. Rostourism on its website reported the dangers that could threaten Russians there. In particular, in Tunisia, bordering Algeria and Libya, where the IS terrorist group banned in Russia is actively operating, tourists should observe personal security measures, exercise vigilance and discretion, especially while staying in popular resort areas - Sousse, Hammamet, Monastir and the island Djerba. There is no need to go on unorganized, especially solo trips to the south of Tunisia, especially to the border areas, and it is better to avoid crowded places.

In Thailand, there is a high level of terrorist threat against Russians from radical Islamist groups operating in the country. And then new phrases follow, which were not previously found in such documents: "Attacks can be carried out in the form emergencies with branded tourist vehicles, arson, biological and chemical contamination of accommodation and display facilities with an imitation of the natural causes of these events. "According to our information, information about potential terrorist attacks came from the security services. Their analysts do not exclude that the criminals can introduce their own people as drivers buses, cooks and waiters in restaurants and cleaners in the rooms and corridors of hotels.And - probably even guides to historical and cultural attractions.A recent example of sophisticated mimicry - 2 years ago, militants attacked hotels on the Tunisian coast, dressed in the form of the army of Tunisia.Then it was 30 people were killed.

In addition, the agency instructed travel agencies operating in these areas to inform customers about possible threats. We turned to one of the companies to buy a tour to Tunisia. Her employee is Elizabeth- turned out to be unaware that tourists need to be warned:

- So far, we have not received such information from the Federal Tourism Agency.
- That is, you do not warn tourists yet?
- Not…

Also, nothing was heard about the instructions of the department in another company where I tried to arrange a trip to Thailand:

- We have not received this from Rostourism yet. So far there hasn't been. If they send it to us within 24 hours, then there will be a conversation that Rostourism has made such a mailing list.

The Rostourism document also urges travelers not to buy field trips from strangers. Company manager Olga She said that this is standard advice from travel agencies. For obvious practical reasons:

- Do not buy excursions from different comrades - we always talk about this, yes. You have representatives who are responsible for you. If you buy excursions on the street, then your health insurance does not work. Nobody is responsible for you.

The Rostourism warning is, of course, a serious matter, and those who are going to travel to Tunisia and Thailand soon should definitely heed it. But, the document itself is not a basis for the delivery of an already purchased ticket at full price, she explained to us. Olga:

- As with Turkey, when the country at the leadership level decided that visiting Turkey is prohibited, then there were full refunds.
- Then there are no penalties?
- Yes, sure. If Rostourism simply does not recommend, for example, but people fly, and at some point you decided to refuse because that's it, then there will be no 100% returns. There will be contract penalties.

That is, if the tourist is still very worried and decides to return the tour package to Tunisia or Thailand, then he will lose money. The more, the less time remains before the trip. Official representatives of Rostourism declined to comment on their warning, but advised tourists, if they find themselves in dangerous spots, to follow all the instructions of the local police and always keep the phone number of the nearest Russian consulate with them.