MINSK, August 20 (RIA Novosti) - Belarusian national air carrier Belavia will suspend flights to Egypt from September as its Russian tour agency partner is no longer selling trips to the country, the carrier said on Tuesday.
Belavia offered charter flights to the Egyptian resort cities of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, operating in conjunction with the Russian tourist firm Tez Tour.
“Tez Tour stopped selling tours and we have cancelled flights from September,” Belavia’s Deputy General Director Igor Cherginets said.
Last week, Russia’s tourism watchdog Rostourism advised operators to stop selling Egypt tours and refund money already paid.
On Monday, Russian tour operator Pegas Tours told RIA Novosti that the volume of Russian tourists interested in visiting Egypt is falling – with many who have booked tours preferring to get a refund or select alternate destinations such as Tunisia or Turkey.
The Foreign Ministries of Russia and Belarus earlier issued a travel warning, advising people not to visit Egypt due to the widespread violence that followed the Army’s seizure of power on July 3. International media report that at least 830 people have died in the violence since last Wednesday.
However, on Monday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry reassured tourists that the resort towns of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh are currently “generally under control,” echoing similar reassurances from Egypt’s tourism minister, Hisham Zaazou.
