Direct charter flights from Russia, Ukraine to Cappadocia start

NEVŞEHİR

Tour operators in the Central Anatolian province of Nevşehir reaped the fruits of their efforts to promote the historical Cappadocia region to different markets as direct charter flights from Russia and Ukraine have started to the ancient district.

“Ukrainian tourists come with charter flights twice a week. The number of the direct flights will double,” said Teyfik Ölmez, the head of Cappadocia Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (KAPTİD).

Direct flights from Ukraine’s capital Kyiv to the ancient region started on March 25 and will last until June 1.

“Each plane carries 180 passengers. Now around 350 tourists come. By April 28, there will be four flights a week. So we will have 700 tourists a week,” said Muzaffer Büyükbaş, the head of Stonepark Travel Agency.

Thanking the inflow of tourists coming to the region, Ali Emre Mart, the provincial head of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), said, “Without them, the sector would be in trouble. Their interest in the region increased during the pandemic, but I think it would be a new opportunity after the pandemic,” Mart said.

According to Ölmez, foreign tourists used to stay for an average of around 1.8 nights previously, but since Russians and Ukrainians started coming, the average jumped to 2.8 nights.

“They [Russians and Ukranians] come and know Cappadocia and we start to know them,” he added.

In 2019, around 50,000 Russians and 7,000 Ukrainians came to Cappadocia. The number of Russians visiting the historical site was around 20,000, and for Ukrainians around 7,000 in 2020.