The FINANCIAL — Airlines in Georgia have started offering Georgian tourists special promotional prices for the Winter season.
Lufthansa and Airzena – Georgian Airways are offering two way tickets to European destinations for just EUR 300 on average. “Another special discount is on flights to New York, a very special city to spend the New Year in,” says Stefan Schwarz, General Manager of Lufthansa in Georgia. Another dream offer by Airzena Georgian Airways is a direct flight to Phuket, Thailand. A 9 day luxury trip to Thailand starts from EUR 1,583 including the flights, 5 star hotel, visa and insurance.
“For Christmas Eve, the most popular destinations among Georgians are Germany, as well as top-European destinations like Paris, Barcelona and Milan. Special promotional prices start from EUR 209 (return) to German destinations and from EUR 290 (return) to European cities like Paris,” Stefan Schwarz, General Manager of Lufthansa in Georgia, told The FINANCIAL.
“Compared to standard pricing this is a good bargain,” Schwarz says.
Schwarz says that the company served more than 5,000 passengers last year during the holiday season to and from Tbilisi. “Since Lufthansa offers a broad network from Munich with more than 130 destinations, the flights are very popular with many Georgians but also international tourists,” he reveals.
“Bookings for the holiday season are already good but there are still possibilities to get a better priced offer. Another great offer is New York, a very special city to spend the New Year in,” Schwarz notes.
“Even if we cannot give out an exact percentage we are looking to the future positively and expecting moderate growth for this year’s season,” Schwarz declares. He notes that since Lufthansa is operating with a modern Airbus A319 between Munich and Tbilisi, the company was able to increase the capacity on their flights which also means better chances to get a good-priced offer.
Schwarz says that the year 2008 was the best year in sales for Lufthansa globally with more than 57 million passengers for the airline.
“The recession has affected every airline so far. At Lufthansa passenger numbers declined by 3.9% this year but we are seeing stabilization now. Ticket prices are decreasing which means it is the best time for travellers to look for a flight. This time of ticket-bargains will not come back that quickly,” Schwarz declares.
Schwarz expects 2010 to be difficult still “but 2011 should show some positive signs already,” he hopes.
This year airline Airzena together with travel agency Georgian Holiday prepared a special offer for customers who wish to spend their cold winter holidays in a hot, exotic country – Thailand.
The trip will last from December 19 to December 28.
Prices for a trip to Thailand start from EUR 1,583. That includes the cost of a return ticket, 5 star hotel, visa and insurance. “The main advantage of this offer is that it will be arranged by a direct flight. Previously people who travelled to Thailand had to spend a minimum of 15 hours on travelling which was very boring. With the help of our offer, customers will reach Phuket in 7 hours, without wait or transfers,” Giorgobiani tells.
“For the first time a direct flight from Georgia to the city Phuket is possible. Phuket is a tourist destination where not many Georgian tourists have been yet. Our offer attracted many people and has become one of the most demanded destinations for Christmas Eve. Compared with Pattaya, where we were offering flights to previously, Phuket is a high class resort. The seaside of Phuket is located on the Andaman Sea,” says Nino Giorgobiani, PR Manager of Airzena.
For a trip to Paris Airzena has special prices for online tickets. The price for a round trip to Paris starts from EUR 315, for Vienna – EUR 280.
“We frequently offer sales to our passengers. We sell tickets to Kiev from EUR 80,” she notes.
Giorgobiani says that during the winter season the company will also offer traditional tours to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. “For customers looking for hot places during the cold winter, we will also arrange additional tours to exotic countries,” she says.
“For Christmas we always take into account the strong relations between Jewish and Georgian people, and the importance of the Holy Land to Georgians, and so offer special sales to the destination Tel Aviv. The price for a round trip to Israel starts from EUR 79,” Giorgobiani tells.
Last year from December 20 to January 20 Airzena sold 12,000 tickets. The most popular destination at this period was Ukraine.
Giorgobiani says that in the aviation business the most profitable season is summer.
“The average number of passengers we transport during the summer is 50,000.”
“We do not expect an increase of sales. Considering the global recession and growing levels of unemployment, it is hard to make optimistic prognoses. Customers simply do not have enough money for extra trips,” Giorgobiani says.
The most profitable year for Company Airzena was the first part of 2008, when it resumed direct flights to Moscow.
“The August war affected our company very much. The number of our customers has halved. It reduced the number of tourists from all countries,” Giorgobiani says.
The company Ukraine International Airlines is not offering discounts as it is relying on income from the high season.
“Actually airlines have good sales in this period, even without making extra discounts,” Evgeniya Satskaya, Corporate Press Secretary of Ukraine International Airlines, told The FINANCIAL.
“Out of the popular directions for Georgian tourists, it is easy to understand the appeal of Ukraine during the New Year and Christmas period. Holidays in Europe can also br very attractive for Georgians as we offer flights via Kiev,” says Satskaya, Ukraine International Airlines (UIA).
“UIA offers a classic set of free services. This includes a choice of place in the plane, free transportation from 20 to 40 kg of luggage (depending on the class), food, an onboard bar, participation in the loyalty programme of the Panorama Club. During the winter period there is a special service that UIA offers which is the additional free transportation of a passenger’s complete set of ski equipment.
Satskaya says that since December 6, 2009, the airline UIA increased the frequency of direct flights from Kiev to Tbilisi from four to six a week. Flights operate daily, except for Saturday.
“Thanks to our partner airlines AerorSvit, RozaVetrov and Georgian Airlines Airzena, MAU gives passengers the possibility to fly between Kiev and Tbilisi 15 times a week,” Satskaya notes.
Ukraine International Airline predicts a return to pre recession sales not earlier than 2014.
“The company was influenced by a reduction of the volume of passenger traffic caused by the economical downturn but during the whole year it only reached about 6% compared with 2008. The company served 1.5 million passengers in 2009 and in 2008 – 1.68 million. Thus, since May 2009 our company has occupied lead position in the volume of passenger transportation out of all Ukrainian airlines,” Satskaya declares.
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