| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 23/10/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 51 |
| Copyright: Other |
Eastern europe
Operator urges countries to reconsider visa requirements
Report by BRIANRICHARDS
COUNTRIES in Eastern Europe that require tourists to have visas will fall behind central Europe’s progressive nations in the tourism stakes, claims Regent Holidays director Neil Taylor.
The Bristol-based tailor-made specialist said agents are disinclined to recommend destinations with possible visa hassles and the chance of documents being lost or delayed.
Countries for which a visa is needed include Russia, Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia.
“Visas are an enormous hindrance to tourism and these countries will undoubtedly suffer,” Taylor said. “Cities such as Warsaw, Prague and Budapest are easy for retailers to sell, with their branded hotels, ever-improving standards and convertible currencies.
“In Regent’s experience, the travel trade is far less inclined to deal with visa countries. There’s no money in it and there’s so much potential for something to go wrong.”
Spain’s abolition of visas in 1959 effectively launched Europe’s package holiday industry. Bulgaria followed suit in 1971, after which its tourism soared with the launch of Black Sea packages.
No visa is needed for the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, for which Regent sales have been encouraging this year.
“Visas have been abolished there and people can now book late,” Taylor said.
New destinations in Regent’s 2001 Cities brochure include Lviv in the Ukraine and the Moldovan capital Chisinau.
“Lviv miraculously didn’t suffer in either of the world wars, so its architecture is still very much in the Austro-Hungarian style, whereas Chisinau is more Soviet in appearance,” added Taylor.
COUNTRIES in Eastern Europe that require tourists to have visas will fall behind central Europe’s progressive nations in the tourism stakes, claims Regent Holidays director Neil Taylor.
The Bristol-based tailor-made specialist said agents are disinclined to recommend destinations with possible visa hassles and the chance of documents being lost or delayed.
Countries for which a visa is needed include Russia, Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia.
“Visas are an enormous hindrance to tourism and these countries will undoubtedly suffer,” Taylor said. “Cities such as Warsaw, Prague and Budapest are easy for retailers to sell, with their branded hotels, ever-improving standards and convertible currencies.
“In Regent’s experience, the travel trade is far less inclined to deal with visa countries. There’s no money in it and there’s so much potential for something to go wrong.”
Spain’s abolition of visas in 1959 effectively launched Europe’s package holiday industry. Bulgaria followed suit in 1971, after which its tourism soared with the launch of Black Sea packages.
No visa is needed for the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, for which Regent sales have been encouraging this year.
“Visas have been abolished there and people can now book late,” Taylor said.
New destinations in Regent’s 2001 Cities brochure include Lviv in the Ukraine and the Moldovan capital Chisinau.
“Lviv miraculously didn’t suffer in either of the world wars, so its architecture is still very much in the Austro-Hungarian style, whereas Chisinau is more Soviet in appearance,” added Taylor.
Warsaw: a lack of visa requirements makes the country easier to sell