MOSCOW, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Russia will not resume charter flights to Turkey this year, a Russian tourism officer said Tuesday, citing the failed military coup as the negative factor behind the dropping number of Russian visitors.
"Charter flights between Russia and Turkey will not be resumed in 2016, and it's unknown whether they will be resumed in 2017," the Russian newspaper Izvestiya quoted Maya Lomidze, executive director of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, as saying.
According to experts, this year's tourist season in Turkey has already seen a significant decrease in visitors. Tour operators had expected about 300,000 Russian tourists would travel to Turkey for the holidays.
"The military coup attempt in Turkey has had a negative impact on the desire of Russians to spend their holidays in Turkey. The demand is greatly decreased," Lomidze said.
The military coup in Turkey ocurred on Saturday, killing at least 290 people, including 161 civilians, and wounding around 1,440 others, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
