SA to woo emerging Russian tourists

THE South African Embassy in Moscow, in conjunction with South African Tourism and South African Airways, is beginning with detailed planning of trade workshops to be held in Russia before WTM 2001 in November. According to Brigitte Weiss of SA Tourism's office in Vienna, Austria, Eastern Europe is an emerging market which should not be neglected. "A survey by Fessel-GFK, Institut für Marktforschung, based in Vienna, which was conducted in Eastern Europe and Russia in 1998 indicated that CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries had a potential market size of up to 1,2 million travellers. The potential overseas travel market size of the Czech Republic was in the region of 120 000 persons, in Hungary about 100 000, while in Poland that number increased to about 150 000 persons," said Weiss. The workshops will be held in Russia's two largest cities, namely St Petersburg and Moscow, on November 1 and November 2 respectively. The cost will be US$700 (around R5758) excluding flights to and from St. Petersburg and Moscow, visa, airport transfers and accommodation. For more information, please e-mail South African Tourism in Vienna at: south-african-tourism@cybertron.at . (Miguel de Sousa)