One hundred and ninety of the best agents working for Natalie Tours travelled to the Costa Brava to participate in the Russian tour operator’s 18th congress.
On 26 February, coinciding with the 18th congress of the Russian tour operator, Natalie Tours, the Catalan Tourism Agency (belonging to the Regional Government), the Costa Brava Tourism Office (belonging to the provincial government of Gerona), the Lloret Tourism Office, and the DMC NT incoming met at the Guitart Monterrey Hotel in Lloret del Mar to present data on the current situation of the Russian tourism market as regards Catalan destinations.
The region’s tourism bodies and the directors of Russian tour operators are facing an uncertain season given the current political, economic and social situation in the Russian Federation and the liquidation of a number of Russian operators last year.
Josep Maria Perramon, director of the Catalonia Tourism Promotion Agency in Russia, stated that Natalie Tours is one of the Russian market’s leading tour operators which has been operating in Catalonia for 23 years and that "despite the current friction between the European Union and Russia, which has affected the number of Russian tourists travelling to Europe, the tour operator still wants to continue working in Catalonia." Perramon added: "The regional government of Catalonia will continue to promote the destination in the Russian market, as well as in other NISs, such as Kazakhstan, Armenia and Moldavia."
Natalia Vorobieva, CEO of Natalie Tours, did not present sales forecasts for the 2015 season, because sales begin in April. Vorobieva stated that the company engages Russian consumers through campaigns focusing on more affordable tourism products and packages offering better services. She also emphasized that "for Natalie Tours the collaboration we obtain from the Catalan public administration and hospitality sector is important because, due to the devaluation of the ruble, Russian clients have lost spending power and now need cheaper packages." Lastly, Vorobieva added that the congress serves to transmit to travel agents that the Costa Brava is still an attractive destination for Russians.
Joan Pascual, CEO of NT Incoming, stated that hotels in Catalonia want to continue to receive Russian tourists, and that to this end they are improving their services. Along these lines, the Catalan tourist industry will continue to welcome Russian tourists "with open arms."
For his part, Ramon Ramos, CEO of the Costa Brava Gerona Tourism Office, mentioned that "we are continuing to launch promotional and co-marketing campaigns with the chief Russian tour operators that can still drum up business for our destinations."
Roma Codina, mayor of Lloret de Mar, emphasized that the town’s private sector is currently reinvesting profits so as to continue to attract tourists from all over the world. On the subject of the Russian market, Codina stated that "currently, the Russian market represents 10% of all of the tourists visiting Lloret de Mar (some 100,000 in 2014)."
Natalie Tours’ 2nd congress on la Costa Brava
From 24-28 February, 190 of the best agents working for Natalie Tours travelled to Lloret de Mar to participate in the company’s 18th congress, followed by a fam trip through featuring the region’s best destinations, organized by the Catalan Tourism Agency, the Costa Brava Tourism Office, the Lloret Tourism Office, Natalie Tours, and NT incoming.
