Workers instead of tourists: transport companies refuse to drive tours

A number of transport companies refuse to transport tourists due to fuel issues. Their top priority is contracts with enterprises to which workers need to be delivered. In Altai, some travel companies have already raised prices by 20%. This was reported by Profi.Travel CEO of the company "Planet" (Kimry) Victoria Yankevich. The head of the commission on bus transport of the Russian Union of Travel Industry Marina Labutina noted that in the Central Federal District there is not yet a "catastrophe", but prices for transport will rise.

"Drivers are afraid to travel long distances, as there is a risk of not filling up on the road and getting stuck with tourists waiting for fuel," explained Victoria Yankevich. - Some travel companies on Altai have raised prices by 20%, citing the fuel crisis. For us, it is daily stress, all agreements with carriers and tour operators are broken. We have to urgently look for replacements: those who are not afraid of being without diesel on the highway and who do not raise prices. At the same time, the company manager noted: according to her experience, there is diesel fuel on the route, almost no queues after it.

She emphasized that the demand for sightseeing tourism continues to decline. Museums are empty without tourists, guides sit without work. The priority for truckers now is to spend diesel fuel on workers' transportation, not on tourist trips. The tourist bus 5-7 days a week carries workers and only 2 days, and not always, tourists, - explained the director of the tour company. - Many fear that if the road is not filled with tourists, they will not be able to leave on Monday to take workers to businesses. Therefore, many transport companies, in order not to lose contract with enterprises, refuse to drive tourists .

Marina Labutina noted that in the Moscow region transport companies do not behave like this. "But the country is big, I don’t rule out that there could be somewhere," she added.

According to her, there is now a tacit order from the management of transport companies: only travel with a full tank, refuel where possible. "Prices are still being maintained, but they may be revised soon," she specified.

Information source "Profi.Travel": https://profi.travel/news/64807/details

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