Northern Norway expects invasion of Russian tourists in summer

For the last five years the popularity of the Northern Norway region in Russia increased by 30% and practically from point zero. RATA-new correspondent was told this in Jazz Tour Company. After positive experience in sending 250 tourists with direct charters to Snowman Resort in Tromso region during winter season 2011-2012, the company made the destination available for Russians during summer period. Direct flights to the capital of Northern Norway Tromso will take off on 8, 15 and 22 July; the flight will take only two and a half hours.

The leading manager of the Scandinavian department Marina Lyutenko reminded that earlier Russians could get to the Northern Norway only with regular flights making one or two changes which were inconvenient and expensive – the ticket's cost was 600 euro. Sometimes tourists had to spend the whole day en route. “As there were more and more requests, we decided to launch a direct charter. As soon as the news appeared on our website, we started receiving phone calls mainly from fishing lovers. By the middle of May, loading for all three dates was already about 10-15%, but usually sales started not earlier than in June”, - said Mrs. Lyutanko.

According to her, this spring the demand for the destination jumped by 15-20% and not only due to declared direct air transportation: “the Council on Tourism of Norway actively advertises northern regions of the country”. The most popular after fishing are excursions: more often tourists go to Lofoten Islands and the Island of Senja. Watching whales and huge colonies of birds are in high demand, as well as individual trips about Northern Norway, for which our compatriots, as a rule, rent cars.

Jazz Tour Company offers 14 group and FIT programs within the project: excursion and fishing tours, car traveling, active recreation and adventurous tours. The expert informs that by the present moment all of the presented destinations are being sold well. A week program on the basis of direct flight to Tromso starts at 975 euro including air tickets, transfers, 4* hotel accommodation (breakfast included). Cottage accommodation will cost only 10 euro more, but without meals.

As Mrs. Lyutenko said, now it’s being negotiated with several airlines and no later than 21 of May an official carrier of the program will be named: “More likely it will be Cubana Airlines with which we had positive experience last winter”. According to her, the company received requests for blocks of seats on direct flights, but colleagues’ interest now is only theoretical.

Both winter and summer programs in the lands of Northern lights of Jazz Tours are meant for the future. The Russians' growing interest for vacation in this region as well as the interest in our tourists to the Northern Norway itself, gives all grounds for positive forecast for the development of the destination.