11.1. The role and place of transport services in the tourism market
Transport is one of the most important components of the material base of the economy of any country. Since ancient times, transport has been the engine of progress. Man used any means at hand to transport people and goods. With the invention of the wheel, and a little later, various types of engines, a person began to develop vehicles, respectively: wagons, carriages, steamboats, steam locomotives, airplanes, etc. This made it possible to travel long distances and for various purposes
Currently, transport is one of the most important components of the economy of the state, both developing and with a highly developed economic and social base. Transport ensures the normal functioning of the economy, increases the efficiency of social production, creates conditions for the rational distribution of production forces throughout the country, taking into account the most appropriate approximation of enterprises in various sectors of the economy to sources of raw materials and areas of consumption of products, specialization and cooperation of production, allows the development of industries such as trade , agriculture and others. Transport is a leading factor in the development of tourism
The role of transport is great in solving social problems, ensuring business, cultural and tourist trips of the population, developing cultural exchange within the country and abroad.
Transport ensures the development of international economic relations, contributing to the mutually beneficial exchange between different countries
Historically, the formation of transport systems of various states was influenced by their geographical location, natural potential, and often climatic and landscape characteristics. This led to the formation of those transport and technical bases that are most rationally used in the conditions of a particular region and state.
For example, it is more profitable to develop the structure of railway transport in regions with predominantly plains, and the river transport structure in the presence of a system of rivers and lakes, as in Austria, Germany, Russia, Finland and Canada
The seas and oceans, as the most convenient and accessible ways for people to move, have contributed to close and long-distance travel since ancient times, and rivers, canals and lakes -
tourism
For the first time, the English pastor Thomas Cook, from whom the history of modern tourist traffic is counted, organized a railway trip from Liverpool to London. Then in 1843 he organized boat trips on the Thames. Almost at the same time, on the American continent, on the legendary paddle steamer Mississippi, the American Express company opened regular excursions along the Mississippi. Similar cruises began to be made along the Nile, Rhine, Danube
The development of transport as an integral part of the infrastructure is constantly paid great attention to by the governments of almost all countries of the world.
In the XX century. a powerful transport system was created in Russia. The length of the communication network of all types of transport is currently about 5 million km.
With the development of tourism, transport routes will constantly expand, as an increase in travel demand has a positive impact on the development of transport infrastructure. Transport, in turn, allows you to expand the geography of travel. There is a useful and beneficial interaction between the two parties.
Transport services are one of the main types of services in tourism. They account for the main share in the price structure of the tour. Depending on the duration and distance of travel, this share (in most cases) ranges from 20 to 60%
Various modes of transport are used by tourism organizations to transport tourists during their travels.
The main share in the overall structure of transport services belongs to air transport. The largest number of tourists, especially those traveling long distances, use aviation services. At the same time, the aircraft can, figuratively speaking, be called the transport of individuals. The most massive flows of tourists traveling for resort, business, entertainment, and educational purposes are individual tourists. And it is they who most often use air transport.
Road transport can rightfully be called a transport of general use, since it is used everywhere: from transfers and excursions, intra-route transportation by buses to the rental of small cars by tourists for personal use on vacation. Buses and cars & nbsp local and intra-regional transport. Bus sightseeing tours with visits to several cities and places of interest are especially popular. It is convenient for tourists that they can travel along the route and within the city on their own transport. True, there are difficulties with parking in many cities of Europe and Russia.
The main competitor of buses in group transportation is the railway. Within our country, it has some priority over air transportation (on group domestic routes). The advantage of rail transport is also lower fares and (in foreign countries) an extensive system of discounts, tickets, etc., allowing travel at significantly lower prices. However, neither bus nor rail transport competes with aviation over long distances.
Water transport, river and sea, in themselves already evoke the image of a tourist-cruise service and are used quite actively in tourism. Water travel has a number of both advantages and disadvantages compared to other modes of transport. The most significant advantages are a high level of comfort, a large volume of one-time loading, the possibility of implementing various types and purposes of tourism (cognitive, business tourism, educational, shop tourism, etc.), good rest, a full range of life support. The main disadvantages are the low speed of movement of vehicles, high tariffs, limited mobility, and often the susceptibility of some people to "seasickness" on sea cruises.
11.2. Air transport in tourist traffic
According to statistics, the growth rate of the popularity of air transport is higher than that of road transport, which is due to the increasing expansion of the geography of travel and the existing steady trend to reduce travel time in favor of their frequency (growth of short-term long-distance tours). All this causes close attention of the tourist business to air transportation. Airplanes are the most popular mode of transport in the world. The same can be said about air travel in tourism. And there are a number of reasons for this:
Firstly, aviation is the fastest and most convenient mode of transport when traveling over long distances;
- secondly, the service on flights currently has an attractive appearance for tourists;
- thirdly, airline companies directly and through international booking and reservation networks pay commissions to travel agencies for each seat booked on the plane, thereby motivating them to choose air transportation
Air transport is one of the fastest and most dynamically developing sectors of the world economy and every year it occupies an increasingly strong position in the global transport system.
Now there are more than 1300 airlines in the world. On average, about 1.5 billion people are transported on flights annually. Over 470 carriers now provide international air services, about 250 of them operate international regular flights. More than 1 thousand airports of the world participate in servicing international air communications, about 650 of them serve international scheduled air transportation
The largest airlines in the world in terms of the number of traffic are the American Delta Air lines, Pan Amerikan, United, the French Air France, the German Lufthansa, the British British Airways, and others. The Russian Aeroflot is considered a major airline.
However, the international air transport system consists not only of international air carriers and airports, but also states connected by international air lines and providing these communications, as well as international organizations in the field of air transport, taking measures to ensure its effective functioning and safety.
The network of international transportation currently covers all geographic regions and more than 150 countries of the world
Air transport is regulated in three ways:
1) national regulation - licensing of air carriers operating both on domestic and international routes;
2) intergovernmental regulation - when regular air routes are based on agreements between the governments of the respective countries;
3) international regulation - when tariffs for scheduled flights are set (for airline members) on the basis of mutual agreements between participating airlines through the International Air Transport Association (IATA) or a third party
One type of international air travel regulation is plans to create a pool that connects airlines operating on certain international routes.
A pool agreement connects airlines operating on the same international routes in order to optimize aircraft schedules, reduce the direction and regulate passenger traffic during peak hours and periods, as well as in order to increase profits on these routes and its further distribution between airlines
A pool agreement could in principle lead to the elimination of competition along the route. But it also means maintaining the possibility of participation in transportation on the lines of companies of different sizes. Pool agreements are often entered into between airlines of disparate size in order to provide them with the best transportation opportunities and profits. Financing arrangements between pooled carriers typically cap the maximum amount of revenue that can be transferred from one carrier to another to reduce the government's ability to support inefficient carriers. In some countries, however, pool contracts are currently prohibited (for example, in the USA)
International regulation of air transportation is carried out on the basis of international agreements signed between countries over many years.
The Warsaw Convention of 1929 was the first general agreement between airlines concerning the issues of ensuring the responsibility of airlines for the safety of passengers in the event of their death, injury or loss of luggage during carriage. (The Montreal Protocol later determined that the maximum liability will be periodically reviewed due to inflationary processes. Today, the airline's liability to the passenger is a maximum of 20 thousand US dollars.) This agreement is the basis for insuring passengers, mail and luggage on international air transportation.
The Chicago Convention on Civil Aviation of 1944, in the discussion on the adoption of which 80 countries took part, contains an agreement on the standardization of air service migration procedures between countries. These principles were adopted to provide the basis for bilateral agreements between countries. The agreement agreed not to regulate charter flights, allowing countries to apply individual regulation and conditions under which they accept and operate charter flights.
The Bermuda Agreement of 1946 Anglo-American on transatlantic flights regulated bilateral agreements on these routes. In 1977, the Bermuda Agreement was revised (and ratified in 1980), in 1986 the new agreement expanded the actual load on routes across the Atlantic, limited to two British and two American carriers
Since air transport occupies an increasingly strong position in the global transport system every year, the need for its global coordination and regulation has long arose. These issues are dealt with by international aviation organizations. Consider the most influential and famous of them.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is one of the first most respected and authoritative world structures. ICAO members are 183 states. ICAO works closely with other organizations such as the United Nations Community, World Meteorological Organization, International Union of Electrical Communications, World Post Union, World Health Organization, International Sea Organization.
The International Association of Air Transportation - I ATA - was established to coordinate the actions of world airlines aimed at ensuring the safety and efficiency of air transport in all regions of the globe. Founded in 1919 and reorganized in 1945, IATA is the professional association of aviation companies operating international flights. The main function performed by the Association is the regulation of international commercial air traffic, the introduction of uniform rules and procedures for all members and the establishment of agreed tariffs for passenger transportation on international routes.
Travel agencies participate in the activities of IATA through its special branch - International Travel Agents Network (IATAN), the International Organization of Airline Agents, as well as through international organizations of civil airports
As part of the organization of tourist travel, there are several forms of interaction between travel companies and airlines:
Reservation of seats and purchase of air tickets through airline agencies;
- reservation of seats and redemption of air tickets through booking systems;
- an agreement with the airline for a quota of seats on regular airlines;
- agency agreement and work as an agency for the sale of air tickets for their tourists;
- organization of charter flights for tourist transportation
In order to correctly choose the most convenient and profitable section of tourist transportation, as well as competently conclude a contract for air transportation of tourists, you need to know all the features, advantages and disadvantages of this or that type of interaction with the airline
The travel agent also needs to know the rules for booking air tickets, working with stocks, fares and discounts provided by airlines.
Requirements of professional ethics when booking air tickets. In order to avoid additional inconvenience for air carriers, as well as to facilitate the booking process and improve the quality of passenger service, travel agents should adhere to the following simple rules:
Follow standard airline booking procedures
- Never book a double booking for a passenger if he cannot decide which flight to take. Moreover, never issue two or more tickets for such a passenger if it is obvious that he will be able to use only one of them.
- Regardless of the passenger's itinerary, be sure to try, to the extent possible, to provide the airline with telephone numbers for emergency contact with the passenger along the way
- In the event of a change in itinerary by a passenger, immediately cancel the relevant booking with the airline, as well as refuse all other related services that are not required
- Strictly adhere to the deadlines and procedures required by air carriers for issuing tickets. Never issue tickets with a guaranteed seat until this guarantee has been confirmed by the respective airline.
- All seats booked with airlines must be accurately recorded and properly documented. The documents being drawn up and the copies remaining with the agent must contain an indication of the flight number, date and class of flight, the status (guaranteed / non-guaranteed seat) of each individual flight, the names and initials of passengers and their contact numbers or addresses. Report immediately in the prescribed form on receipt of all deposits
Always remember that the convenience of passengers and the normal operation of other agents and airlines depend on your efficiency, accuracy and courtesy.
Agreement on a quota of seats on regular flights. A seat quota, or otherwise a block of seats, can be either hard or soft. This affects the terms of the contract and special benefits and discounts. With a strict quota of places, the entire responsibility for the non-sale of block places lies with the travel company, regardless of the reason for the non-sale. The travel agency bears the financial losses. With a soft quota of places, the terms for the possible refusal of a travel company from a quota or part of a quota of places due to non-sale of tourist vouchers are set. These terms provide for the possibility of further sale of these seats by the airline itself or its other agents.
The contract with the airline for a quota of seats on regular flights includes:
Schedule of functioning of tours in the direction "there" and "back" with indication of destinations;
- number of tourists in each group (quota of places);
- deadlines for filing applications and redemption of air tickets;
- deadlines for canceling tickets orders without withholding fines (soft block);
- types of fares for purchased tickets, preferential fares, conditions for granting preferential fares;
- discounts and benefits for the quota of seats;
- the procedure and terms for the return of purchased but unused tickets, liability arising from the terms of return (soft block).
Agency agreement with the airline. In principle, some airlines consider as their agents all travel companies that have an agreement with them for a quota of seats. However, in its purest form, an agency agreement is work with stocks, i.e. when a travel company gets the opportunity to independently act as an airline ticket sales agency (both for its tourists and just for sale), which simplifies and speeds up the procedures for booking and issuing travel passes documents. The travel company itself acts as the "ticket sales office" of the airline, that is, it issues tickets itself and has the appropriate computer equipment and the right to access the booking network of this airline (for example, Gabriel at Aeroflot). This type of work with air tickets is called "work with a stock of air tickets".
The airline, represented by this travel agency, has an additional point of sale (one of the conditions of the agency agreement is usually the preferential sale of tickets for this particular airline for tours)
The agency agreement with the airline provides for the following issues:
Who and under what conditions provides equipment for issuing air tickets, air ticket forms;
- training of personnel for the maintenance of this equipment;
- sales volumes are most often set individually - by the number of tickets per month (for example, at least 10/200 tickets per month) or by sales revenue (from 10 to 200 thousand US dollars or more in different airlines);
- limits of possible sales (regionally or by consumer segments);
- at what price tickets are sold - at the price of an airline or at the price of a travel agency (most often at the price of an airline);
- prices and tariffs for the sale of air tickets;
- terms of payment for air tickets & nbsp prepayment or payment as they are sold (for stock agents in some airlines, prepayment is set for groups of tourists);
- the amount of commission for the sale of air tickets (up to 9% of the fare sold);
- the timing and regularity of submission of airline reports, their form and the documentation required in the application (usually 1 or 2 times a month);
- the amount of bank guarantees in favor of the airline or IATA (from USD 20,000);
- Membership in IATA.
Charter (aircraft rental). When organizing charter air transportation, the customer determines the route with the airline, the obligations of the parties are discussed with him, the compliance of the lease agreement with international rules is clarified, and the cost of the flight is determined. Then a special charter agreement is concluded, which stipulates:
Type (brand) of the aircraft;
- number of places for sale;
- the cost of renting an aircraft;
- itinerary indicating the airports of departure and arrival;
- duration of the contract (season, year, etc.);
- regularity of flights;
- the possibility and deadlines for the cancellation (cancellation) of the flight and the corresponding sanctions
The peculiarity of charters is that one full flight (the second and penultimate flights - the first return after the first arrival and the last there before the last export) is carried out without tourists: on the last flight, the plane picks up the last tourists, but does not bring new ones, since it is no longer behind them. will return (i.e., for 10 tourist arrivals there are 11 flights). The formula N + 1 applies here. Thus, the largest number of flights during the period of the air charter program reduces the cost of a "drop-down" flight, and therefore reduces the transportation rate
It should be noted that it is realistic to organize 20 races per season (with weekly flights). However, a charter can be launched with a frequency of 2 times a week - then the number of flights per season increases to 40. This significantly reduces the tariff, but is not available for the absolute majority of travel companies. This explains the emergence of “intermediate” entrepreneurs in the tourist transportation market - wholesalers (wholesalers), consolidating large charters in their hands and distributing them in the future among smaller firms in the form of block charters (i.e., 10-30 seats ). As a rule, the tour operator-wholesaler sells blocks of seats on his charter according to three proven options: hard, soft and combined blocks of seats.
A soft block, in which the customer does not have any financial responsibility and has the right to completely or partially refuse their seats within a predetermined timeframe, is more convenient for the travel agent. However, if the refusal occurs later than the deadline, the customer will have to pay a fine. Usually, soft blocks are used quite rarely, since they are not always beneficial to the charter holder (be it an airline or a wholesaler tour operator).
The rigid block provides for strict contractual obligations on the terms of sale and payment. The customer makes an advance payment, the amount of which usually includes the sum of the cost of two paired flights. At the same time, tariffs for the implementation of a hard block are approximately 5-10% lower than for the implementation of a soft block. In addition, with a contract for a hard block, the operator and agent fix the price for the entire charter period, which gives the sellers a good opportunity to vary prices during the “high” period of the season and at the end of it.
The most common sale of seats on charter flights is the so-called combined method, which combines elements of the two above-mentioned options. The total number of places included in the block being sold is divided in a certain proportion into two parts: one of which is sold according to the "hard" system, and the other - according to the "soft" system.
Often, not one, but several tour operators act as the initiator of the charter program. At the same time, they agree in advance among themselves the conditions for organizing flights.
Normal relations with airlines when renting an aircraft provide for its payment in accordance with the contract with a mandatory balance sheet after each flight
Charter flights must not be in conflict with the requirements of the Warsaw International Convention on the obligations of the carrier to the passenger
When signing a charter agreement, the airline almost always puts the tour operator in tough conditions. First of all, the company requires an advance payment. Whatever its maximum size, the airline always insists that the first and last flights of the charter cycle be paid in advance. Thus, it insures itself and previously imported tourists against possible non-payments. Payment for flights is negotiated in advance and is made, as a rule, 7-10 days before the start of the flight. In case of late payment, according to the contract, the company has the right to impose penalties on the customer or terminate the existing contractual relationship with him
All rules of air transportation in our country are regulated by the Air Code of the Russian Federation of March 19, 1977, as well as a number of international agreements. The main body coordinating air transportation in Russia is the Federal Air Transport Service (FSVT)
There are currently 315 airlines operating in the air transportation market in Russia. Of these, 96 have licenses for regular flights and carry 99% of the total volume of air passengers.
Carriage volumes are unevenly distributed among the airlines The eighteen largest airlines in Russia carry about 75% of passengers, and the aircraft of eight or nine "supergiants" ferry up to 50% of Russian travelers. 94 scheduled airlines serve approximately 23% of passengers. And the remaining 276 airlines, performing, as a rule, one-time flights, account for about 1% of passenger traffic.
Aeroflot remains the undisputed leader of the Russian aviation business. Aeroflot Russian International Airlines is the national flag carrier of Russia. The company, as a rule, has more than two times more customers than the second number - the production association Domodedovo Airlines
Recently, Russian airlines have begun to create aviation alliances. For example, in February 1998, two leading Russian airlines - Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines and Pulkovo - signed an agreement on a strategic aviation alliance. In the same year, Aeroflot signed cooperation agreements with Uzbekistan Airways and Armenian Airlines.
At the end of 1997, the Russian airline "Transaero" and the Uzbek national carrier "Uzbekiston Havo Iullari" announced the merger and coordination of their activities in the air transportation market. The new aviation association was named "CIS-alliance". Transaero also has code-sharing agreements with the Czech company CSA on the Moscow-Karlovy Vary route and with the Latvian Air Baltic on the Moscow-Riga route. In February 1999, Transaero and Krasnoyarsk Airlines signed an agreement on the joint operation of the routes Moscow - Krasnoyarsk, Moscow - Norilsk and Moscow - Krasnoyarsk - Vladivostok
11.3. Motor transport in tourism
Auto services used in tourist services include three main areas:
1) organization of bus trips;
2) organization of travel by personal transport of tourists;
3) car rental
Bus travel. International bus tourism is a relatively young type of tourism. The beginning of its development can be attributed to the 70s. 20th century Before that, in different countries, buses were used mainly for transfers, excursions and local trips.
In 1986, in Europe, due to increased competition between railway and bus companies, an association of bus carriers was created - the Eurolines Council (Eurolincs), which included 33 European partners. Bus companies acted under the same brand, developed a common bus service system for through tickets with common service standards, rules and a system of discounts. Today Eurolines is one of the leading companies on the market. It serves over 250 routes throughout Europe and is affiliated with 35 European bus companies. Since 1992 "Eurolines" began to work in Eastern Europe
The signing of the Schengen Agreement gave a new impetus to the development of bus transportation, allowing to simplify many formalities. In the 90s. the average annual growth of bus tourism averaged about 1.5%
The European Conference of Ministers of Transport (1984) distinguishes three types of bus tourism:
1) trips on scheduled buses;
2) travel by shuttle buses;
3) special (charter) flights
A separate group includes domestic tourism and trips during the day with various purposes (excursions during the day, shuttle service to airports, etc.)
Being an economic type of tourism accessible to the general population, bus tourism is constantly developing. There is still an upward trend in its volumes. Priority is given to weekend bus tours - 2-3-day trips to European cities for sightseeing and educational purposes are quite popular. In second place in popularity - route tours lasting 1-2 weeks in European cities, also with sightseeing and educational purposes
Seasonality in the organization of bus tours does not play such a big role as in other trips. In fact, bus tours are carried out throughout the year. Some decline in demand is observed in January-February. During these two months, one bus is usually “busy” on one route
According to experts, despite the importance of the price aspect, competition in the bus tour market is observed in the field of a variety of routes and quality of service.
The opening of traffic on regular international routes is regulated by bilateral government agreements, and transit through third countries requires the permission of the Transport Committee of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)
To simplify contracts for international carriage under the Geneva Convention of March 1, 1973, the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Passengers and Luggage by Road was adopted. Further facilitation of international transport is recorded in the Hague (1989) declaration on tourism and the Schengen agreement for members of the European Union
The organization of tourist transportation within the CIS countries is regulated by the Decree of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS Member States "On the Basic Principles of Cooperation between the CIS Member States in the Field of Tourism" dated October 29, 1994 and other acts
In accordance with the European Agreement on Non-Scheduled International Transport of Passengers by Buses (ACOR), adopted in Dublin on May 26, 1982, for non-scheduled international passenger transport in Eastern and Western Europe, a control document (trip sheets) is used, which must be on board the bus
In this regard, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation adopted a decision dated February 7, 1997 No. LSH-6/60 “On the use of a unified set of travel sheets (control document with a number) on international non-regular passenger bus service between Russia and European countries: Belgium, Germany, Holland, Spain, Poland, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Yugoslavia"
In Europe, the legislation establishes common safety requirements for all when organizing bus tours
There is a project to limit the speed of buses to 100 km/h. This should be good for the environment, but could drastically reduce the competitiveness of buses in relation to other modes of transport. Such restrictions have already been introduced in most Western European countries, as well as in some Eastern European countries (for example, in Croatia)
In the meantime, the tour operator organizing bus tours, when planning routes to European countries, must take into account the speed and other restrictions that exist in different countries.
To make tourist trips to European countries, it is also necessary to obtain special insurance (in addition to medical) - the so-called green card (auto civil liability insurance in favor of third parties if the insured is guilty - International Motor Insurance Card)
In Europe, serious attention is paid to the condition of buses used for tourist transportation. So, in many countries, the operation of buses on tourist routes is prohibited if their service life exceeds 8 years. In accordance with European legislation, buses must also undergo a comprehensive technical control every six months. And although, by law, the customs officers of the countries of the European Union and Eastern European countries cannot check the condition of the road transport and the length of time the driver has been driving, in case of great doubt, they can resort to the help of the police and gendarmerie working at the customs point
In accordance with the decisions of the European Convention on the work of vehicle crews, from April 24, 1995, all buses with more than 9 seats must be equipped with tachographs
This requirement applies to all vehicles involved in international transportation, including Russian ones. In case of non-compliance, the operation of the bus will be prohibited.
The tachograph is an on-board device for objective control and accounting of the work of the car and the driver. It automatically shows and records the driving speed, current time, mileage, various periods of work and rest of the driver. Recordings are made on nominal chart disks (tachograms) and give a complete picture of the entire working day of the driver
The rights and obligations of the carrier and tourists are regulated by the contract for transportation, the contract for tourist services and the voucher
Bus trips can be organized on own buses owned by travel companies, as well as on rented buses owned by independent motor transport enterprises (ATP) of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation
As a rule, Russian firms work with rented buses. With such ATP, a travel company concludes a special contract for renting a bus for tourist transportation
Traveling with the use of personal transport of tourists
The organization of a package tour of a car trip includes the entire set of services, with the exception of transport. However, the travel company still provides special assistance in organizing the movement of tourists along the route in their cars. This is reflected in the specifics of the organization of car tours.
The most common for this type of travel are weekend trips. By type of tourism, the most popular car tours are health-improving (going to nature or places of rest) and educational (trips to historical or cultural monuments)
In a sense, the development of hotel infrastructure, in particular motels, is directly related to autotourism. In developed countries, along traditional tourist routes, entire chains of small hotels and campsites have been built, primarily aimed at serving tourists traveling by private cars.
The road trip preparation process includes:
- development of the route;
- development of a traffic schedule;
- registration of route documentation.
The tourist will need the following documents on the road: a passport (when traveling abroad - a foreign passport with visas of the relevant countries), a certificate for the right to drive a car (for foreign travel - an international standard), a technical passport of the car, a warning card, a power of attorney for the right to drive a car or an agreement about its rental (if the trip is not made on your own or rental car), route documents, service book, notarized copy of the technical passport (if you plan to transport the car by rail), "green card", medical insurance (when traveling abroad). The data in the data sheet must be duplicated in English
As for a driver's license for foreign road trips, as well as for car rental abroad for Russian tourists, this issue is regulated by an international document in this area - the Convention on Road Traffic. The Russian Federation is one of the contracting parties, therefore the documents issued on the territory of our country fully comply with the international model of the countries participating in the Convention
It is necessary to take out insurance for the car - in case of civil liability in case of a road trip (accident). When traveling abroad, it is mandatory to issue a so-called green card - motor third party liability insurance in case of an accident (International Motor Insurance Card)
It is also necessary to insure the car itself. Insurance is provided in case of loss or damage to the car as a result of an accident, fire or natural disaster
If several people (crews) are going on a multi-day trip, it is advisable to determine the leader of the road trip. They should be the most authoritative and experienced driver. At the same time, it is necessary to compile a list of participants in the trip, which contains: last names, first names, patronymics, dates of birth of car owners and all passengers, their home addresses, blood types, brands and numbers of cars (by crew). It is desirable to make such a list for one traveling crew (if the trip is abroad, then it is desirable to duplicate it in English)
Car rental. Car rental (or rent) is a very common and popular service among tourists, especially on stationary and resort tours. In any tourist or resort center there are many car rental offices - from large to the smallest. The leading car rental company in the world is HERTZ. Competing with it "AVIS" in the mid-90s. was named the best car rental company in the world by the English magazine Institutional Investor
The procedure for renting a car is simple. The tourist is required to be at least 21 years old and not more than 70 years old (in some UK firms - 25 and 75 years, respectively). An employee of the rental company must present a passport and a driver's license (international). At the time of the conclusion of the contract, the certificate must be valid for at least 2 years (in the UK - 1 year, and for drivers under 25 the required experience increases by 1 year)
In some countries, customer service is only possible with a credit card, in most countries payment for services is carried out in cash, but a small deposit is required
The rental price must include the following:
- unlimited car mileage;
- delivery of a car to a client within the city;
- repair or replacement of a car in case of a technical malfunction, except for damage to tires and windshield;
- full insurance in case of an accident that occurred through no fault of the client;
- insurance covering damage caused to the car in an accident due to the fault of the client, in excess of a certain amount (but if at the time of the accident the driver was intoxicated, the insurance is not paid);
- insurance of passengers (except the driver) against accidents (the driver can insure himself for an additional fee);
- taxes
Usually the car is delivered with a full tank, but it must also be returned to the car rental office with a full tank
You can order a car rental at a vacation spot while buying a tour in your agency, including it in the package of services. Many travel agencies offer this to their tourists, since ordering a car rental in their agency makes it easier for a tourist to read a rental agreement in a foreign language, guarantees the provision of high-quality and understandable services by a tour purchase agreement as a whole.
The scheme for ordering a car through a travel agency is as follows. Having received the corresponding order from its tourist, the travel agency requests by fax the receiving tour operator or the car rental company directly. The request contains the name and surname of the tourist, the rental period, the brand of the car, the place of delivery of the car to the tourist. The car rental company also faxes a voucher to the travel agency in the name of the customer. After receiving the voucher, money is transferred to pay for the car rental. In a place of rest, a tourist, by presenting a voucher, can get a car and use it for his own pleasure
And most importantly, before renting a car, you need to ask about parking conditions and taxi prices. Perhaps a taxi ride will be more profitable both in terms of money and nerves expended.
11.4. Rail travel
The railway is a convenient means of communication for transporting any category of tourists, ranging from individual tourists, large and small tourist groups on scheduled regular lines and charter trains, and ending with the organization of special tourist and excursion trains for local and long-distance traffic.
Railways have historically been actively involved in the development of tourist traffic
But still, road transportation is quite serious competition for short-distance rail transportation, as well as on sightseeing routes.
Currently, many companies that own railway lines (Vagon-Li, Akkor, etc.) are making great efforts to maintain and increase tourist passenger traffic. The main areas in this regard are:
Laying high-speed highways (to speed up transportation);
- service in carriages according to the Euro-Night formula (improvement of comfort to the level of a hotel);
- organization of special tourist trains, including "retro-locomotives" (special thematic trips on railway transport)
Rail traffic is regulated by a whole package of national and international agreements, conventions and treaties
In Russia there are: the Charter of the railways; Rules for the carriage of passengers and baggage by rail; departmental regulations published in periodicals; Rules of transportation and tariffs; Agreement on international passenger traffic; Uniform passenger tariffs; commercial reporting instructions; Rules for the transportation of military passengers, baggage and cargo; Rules for issuing free tickets for travel on railways and subways; Tariff guide; route and message indicators
The main body regulating rail transportation in the Russian Federation is the Ministry of Railways of the Russian Federation (MPS)
In the system of passenger transportation, trains are divided into regular trains, following a strictly established route, in a strictly observed time interval and schedule, which, in turn, are divided into suburban, local and long-distance, and non-reps (charter), which are completed as needed transportation. This also applies to tourist trains.
Regular trains. Commuter trains follow a fixed schedule within the region or region. The composition usually accommodates up to 1500 passengers, with up to 1000 seats. Trains make frequent stops at local stations. Seats in the carriages are not numbered.
Local trains run between stations of the same railway (in Europe it can be within the same state). Usually they run for a distance of up to 700 km and make transportation within a large area, region or small country - between villages and small towns. It happens that the difference between suburban and local trains is rather arbitrary and essentially depends on the geographical characteristics of the area and the country as a whole. With the exception of high-speed routes, local trains make frequent stops - at almost all stations.
Long-distance trains run over 700 km. They are divided into ambulances of year-round circulation, fast seasonal (summer), passenger long-range year-round and seasonal circulation.
Off-schedule (charter) trains. These are specially assigned out-of-regular charter trains. Special trains often include tourist-excursion trains, which also follow outside the regular schedule along routes specially laid out for them and traffic schedules drawn up taking into account the windows in the regular schedule and sightseeing and tourist purposes. Off-schedule trains also include the so-called export trains - organized outside the schedule during mass holidays, national and international competitions and games, as well as for the export of equipment and people for harvesting, agricultural and other work
Trains and wagons are also divided into different categories.
In the presence of a stable passenger flow, a regular route is assigned in a certain direction, on average, up to 17 cars, with a large flow, the number of cars in the direction can be increased to 25. However, long platforms are needed to service such trains. If there are not enough passengers in the direction, one or more wagons are installed, which are unhooked from the main train at the junction station along the route and delivered to the destination by a local flight, which may consist of several wagons
The planning of rail transportation - the appointment of regular routes, the introduction of additional ones, their cancellation, the formation of trailer cars in directions - is a complex process that requires the preparation of forecasts for the formation of passenger flows in certain directions. The travel needs of the population depend on seasonality, vacation periods, weekends and national holidays, the beginning of the school year, school and student holidays. The rational use of rolling stock and the efficient use of technical and fixed assets and road capacity as a whole require reliable operational regulation and adjustment of the length of routes
Transportation of passengers and luggage, carried out on the territory of at least two countries on the same conditions and under one travel or transportation document, is called transportation in direct international passenger traffic (there are also so-called transfer and reloading communications, when passengers change at border stations , and baggage and luggage are reloaded from the wagons of the road of one country to the wagons of the road of another country). Tourists, as a rule, are transported in cars and trains of direct international direct communication.
The conditions of carriage in direct international traffic are published and they apply equally on all roads that have signed the Agreement on Direct International Traffic.
Russia is a great railway power. The presence of a dense network of railways, especially in the European part of the country, makes it possible to organize railway tour routes that are diverse in geographical location, form and content.
When organizing tourist routes by rail, it should be remembered that the railway network of our country is divided into several roads according to the territorial principle. The European part of Russia is more developed, the Eastern part (Siberia and the Far East) is less developed,
Transportation of tourists by regular trains
Transportation of tourists by scheduled (regular) trains is carried out on the basis of ordinary passengers on railway tickets. With the exception of suburban trains, tickets are issued on special standard forms (forms)
When purchasing a ticket or a travel document, a passenger commits an act of unconditional adherence to the rules for the carriage of passengers and their luggage established on a given road (tram, metro). Ticket stock - a form or form of a ticket, which may contain various columns about changing, confirming a ticket, as well as various stamps confirming its validity
The ticket generally states:
Carrier;
- departure station (departure city);
- destination station (arrival city);
- date of commencement of travel, trip, transportation (DOT - Date of Travel);
- departure time (time departure);
- train code and number;
- type and number of the carriage, passenger seat;
- the amount paid for the ticket;
- last name of the passenger (for long-distance trains);
- gender and passport number of the passenger (for international flights)
A feature of European rail transportation is that, unlike Russian tickets, they most often do not contain two details familiar to us: travel dates and seat numbers
In addition to single tickets in Europe, various railway "travel cards" are widespread, giving the right to unlimited movement for some time and within a certain area.
Tariffs and fees. Railway passenger tariffs - the established payment for the passage of passengers, the carriage of goods and baggage
Basic rates:
Direct reserved seat - a common passenger car (fare in a car with seats for a passenger train);
- surcharges for additionally provided services (for speed, for travel in cars and trains of higher paid categories, for the carriage of luggage and cargo luggage)
The general passenger fare (direct reserved seat) is formed in such a way that the absolute fare increases with increasing travel distance, but with increasing distance, the cost of one passenger-kilometer decreases. This provides passengers traveling long distances with a significant reduction in fares.
The surcharge for speed takes into account that the cost of travel in a fast train is 10-12% higher, the type of carriage is also taken into account (reserved seat, compartment 2-, 3-, 4-seat compartments, soft, etc.). The fare in Pullman (SV) and international class carriages is 40-45% higher. The fare for children between the ages of 5 and 10 is set at one quarter of the ticket price for an adult. However, this does not apply to the cost of a reserved seat.
Special tourist trains
There is a well-established opinion that any railway trip, especially a long one, is tiring and unpleasant. It is hard to even imagine that it can be not just a forced movement from one point to another, but a fascinating journey. However, this truth has long been recognized by foreign travel agencies and operators offering specialized rail tours. Western specialists have brought the technology of their implementation to almost perfection.
Standard rail tours can be divided into three independent categories:
One-day;
- short (2-3 days);
- multi-day (from 5 days or more).
One-day tours start in the morning and end in the evening of the same day. On the way, tourists sit at the tables of dining cars. Along the way, they can not only have an extra bite to eat, but also watch performances by pop and circus artists. Tourists are taken to a specific station, where a special program has been prepared for them. It can be a sightseeing trip or a picnic in nature. Most often, passengers have the opportunity to combine business with pleasure.
Short tours. During two-three-day railway tours, passengers live in separate compartments. Trips are traditionally designed in such a way that at night, when everyone is asleep, the train is on the way. During the day, tourists are busy with all kinds of sightseeing activities.
Multi-day tours. The schedule of trains serving multi-day trips is very diverse. Depending on the route and the excursion program, tourists are often on the way during the daytime. As practice shows, so that travelers do not get tired, a tourist train should go non-stop between two points for no more than a day and a half. Long day trips are planned, as a rule, in cases where interesting views and landscapes open up along the way. However, in some cases, short-term “green parking” is also assumed directly in the forest or in the mountains, on the coast of the sea or a large lake.
Tourist trains are commonly referred to as "hotels on wheels". Indeed, despite the overall dimensions of the carriages limited by the strict standards of the railway, many stationary hotels can envy their comfort and interior design. In each compartment, the total number of which in a sleeping car usually does not exceed eight, no more than two people live. Depending on the train category, compartments are equipped with two single beds (vertically or horizontally) or one double bed, air conditioning, a desk, telephone, TV. Toilet and shower rooms can be for the whole car or individually for one or two rooms. The tourist train also includes several restaurant cars, a salon car (used as a library, a place for card games or negotiations, recreation), a conference car (aka a lecture hall, disco or video salon), as well as a "children's car" or "hall of outdoor games"
Rail travel is a fairly popular type of holiday abroad. The most persistent fans of this type of tourism are the Germans, the British and the Swiss. Moreover, if the inhabitants of Great Britain and Switzerland prefer to travel around their countries, the Germans traveled all over Europe and even reached Russia and America. Locomotive travel is considered a special chic among German tourists. And the most popular among all lovers of railway tourism, without exception, is the Orient Express (Orient Express), stylized as the famous composition of the beginning
20th century
Today, tourist routes permeate almost the entire extensive railway network of Western Europe. The motto of operators specializing in organizing tours by rail: "We will go wherever there are rails"
In recent years, there has also been an increase in interest in rail tourism in the Americas, where three long routes are in the lead: Trans-Canada (a ten-day journey from Vancouver to Montreal via Winnipeg and Ottawa); "Trans-America" (12 days from Washington to Los Angeles via Charleston, New Orleans, San Antonio, El Paso, etc.); "Trans-Atlantic" (from Managua to the southern tip of South America to Puerto Montt via Guayaquil, Lima and Santiago). Interestingly, in America, these tourist trains are also called "Orient Express". Tourist routes are popular in Norway with a tour of the largest and most beautiful fjords in the world from a special train
There are train routes in India and even in Indonesia. For tourists visiting Indonesia, a unique tour is offered - "Tour the Steam Locomotives in Indonesia" ("Tour - steam locomotives in Indonesia") with an inspection of the world's largest collection of operating locomotives and wagons
gauge
Tourist-excursion trains are appointed on the basis of an agreement concluded between a tourist company and the railway department. Appointment of trains is made after the conclusion of the contract and payment of due payments
The tourist firm agrees with the management (department) of the road on the allocation of a train for a certain period. To do this, write a letter addressed to the head of the passenger service with a request to allocate such a composition. In the letter, he agrees and indicates the specific terms for the allocation of the composition
The following tourist trains from one point of excursion service to another, as a rule, should be carried out at night with stops only for technical needs
After the transfer of payments stipulated by the agreement, but not later than 20 days before the departure of the train, the department of the road of its departure gives an address telegram to all departments of the routes and copies: to the travel company organizing the tour; main departments of MGTS (passenger, traffic, medical and sanitary); catering establishments
The telegram should contain a diagram and schedule of the train, indicating the time and points of transfer from road to road, the procedure and time for the delivery of the train to the points of landing and registration, as well as points for additional supply of fuel and water along the route
Changing the approved schedule, as well as the route and departure time is not allowed
When assigning a special tourist train, it is assigned a name corresponding to the starting point (city) of departure (“Karaganda”, “Moskvich”, etc.), which is stored along the entire route. A stencil with the name of the train is fixed on board or on the inside of the window opening
When concluding an agreement, all due payments for transportation (rent, travel, etc.) must be transferred to the railway management no later than 20 days before the departure of the tourist train
The tourist organization is issued two copies of the contract and two receipts of the GU-57 form (one for travel there and the second for travel back), which indicate: the route of the train, stopping points, the cost of one ticket, the total number of passengers and the amount received for travel
A copy of the contract for the rental of a tourist-excursion train with a mark of the railway on receipt of all due payments and receipts (GU-57 form) are kept by the head (director) of the tourist route and presented during control along the route. After the end of the flight, the route director submits these documents to the accounting department of the tourist organization
Not later than 6 hours before the departure of the train, a special commission, consisting of representatives of the railway, a catering company, a sanitary and epidemiological service and a tourist organization renting the train (director of the tour route and train doctor), carries out a commission acceptance of the readiness of the train for the flight. The commission draws up an act of acceptance of the composition, which is transferred to all interested services. If necessary, measures are taken to replace wagons, etc.
In the carriages, the schedule of the tourist train, the names of the conductors on duty, the head of the train and the train electrician should be posted. In addition, in each carriage there should be posted: a service program ("Tourist's Corner"); surnames of the director of the tourist train, instructors, doctor; number of their wagon and seat; the number of the dining car in which tourists eat; shift number and meal times
11.5. Organization of boat trips
A motor ship trip (cruise) is a tourist trip along a river or sea, usually calling at ports, on board a special passenger ship. Currently, dozens of cruise companies around the world operate hundreds of passenger ships ranging from 70 to over 1000 passengers and offer exciting trips to almost any region of the world.
In fact, a cruise is a sea tour, the basic cost of which includes comprehensive services on board the ship, in particular: travel on the ship; accommodation in a cabin (depending on the chosen class); Three meals a day; entertainment and, as a rule, a number of special events on board the ship (holidays, festivals, competitions, concerts, etc.)
Cruises are one of the fastest growing market sectors. In 1998, more than 8 million tourists traveled by water, and by 2004, according to WTO forecasts, this figure will reach 11.5 million
Water cruises are organized both on the seas, oceans, and on different rivers. There is much in common in the organization of sea and river cruises. However, in terms of vessel capacity, organizational features, service programs, as well as the location of the tours, there are a number of differences among sea and river cruises.
Sea cruises. Today in the world, sea cruises are experiencing a happy period of growth. The cruise fleet is growing, the designs of passenger ships are being improved, their comfort is increasing, new sea and ocean routes are being developed. The most popular water travel is in the USA, Great Britain and Germany. Demand for cruising is noted in France, Italy, Switzerland and other countries
Around the world, there are several dozen specialized cruise companies operating from 1-2 to 15-20 passenger ships. Most cruise operators are united in a professional international association - Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). She coordinates the cruise business internationally.
Many travel agencies, especially those specializing in holidays and cruises, are also members of this Association. CLIA brings together about 33 travel agencies specializing in the sale of cruises and more than 20 thousand travel agencies involved in the sale of cruise trips. While the CLIA is difficult to compare in function and influence to the IATA, it is still an important international body dedicated to promoting the cruise industry to both consumer travelers and travel agencies. CLIA assists travel agencies with training, public relations and advertising. Thanks to the special professional training of travel agents and the skillfully conducted advertising campaign, CLIA managed to turn sea cruises into a "classic" type of holiday. 95% of all cruises are sold through the travel agencies of the Association, and the implementation of this tourism product is in second place after the sale of air tickets
In recent years, the image of the cruise as a tourist product has changed. The ship has turned into a floating hotel, where the atmosphere of entertainment and celebration reigns. Thanks to intensive advertising campaigns, the attractiveness of cruises has increased among all segments of the population
Combination and "package" air and sea cruises with the inclusion of the entire service complex in the cost of travel have been widely developed. At the same time, the cruise company organizes charter flights as part of the overall trip, providing the tourist with their level of service already from the airport.
Cruise duration. Experts believe that a one-week cruise is and will remain the main tourist product (about 40% of cruises are weekly trips). More short-term cruise tours are preferred by about 30% of the clientele. Cruises from 10 to 14 days attract just under 30%. Only 2-3% of customers take part in long cruises over 14 days (the so-called round-the-world trips).
Types of cruises In general, for the organization of cruise trips, the most common at the present time (up to 60% of cruises) is the classical European system, which provides for a sea voyage with a call at various ports with an excursion program
However, the American system also has its place in demand, the main purpose of which is to provide cruise passengers with the opportunity to relax and sunbathe on the beaches at the points of entry along the route.
Recently, "cruises to nowhere" - one- and two-day trips without calling at other ports - are gaining popularity in almost all regions. As a rule, such a vessel leaves the base port at 6 pm on Friday and returns on Sunday evening.
Main cruise regions:
1) Mediterranean Sea - from May to October;
2) Caribbean winter months;
3) around Europe and Scandinavia - from mid-May to the end of August
The countries of Southeast Asia have been making great efforts lately to become the fourth most popular cruise region. So, for example, Singapore wants to become the second Miami in its region: the expensive cruise stops built attract Western cruise companies to base their fleet on them and organize cruise routes.
Categories of cruise companies. According to the technical equipment and comfort of the fleet, the level of service on board, the size of the base rates and a number of other indicators, cruise companies are divided into four main categories:
Standard (they are usually designated ***), for example Dolphin cruise line;
- first-class (****) - Costa Cruises, Norwegian cruise line;
- prestigious (*****) - Holland America line, Celebrity Cruises;
- Super Suite (******) _ Seabourn and others
Somewhat apart from them are specialized maritime operators (for example, Club Med, Windstar, etc.)
There are about 60 operators on the global cruise market, of which 47 operate 1-3 ships each. However, many of them are subsidiaries of large cruise operators, created for the independent operation of individual ships in specific regions.
The largest cruise operators are the American ones: Carnival Cruise Line Corporation (CCL), Royal Caribbean, as well as the British P& O Cruises Divison.
Payment on ships depends on:
From the comfort of the vessel;
- cabin category, which is determined depending on the basic and additional conditions of comfort.
Russian sea cruises. The history of Soviet maritime tourism begins in 1957, when JSC Intourist began to carry out sea voyages from Odessa to Leningrad around Europe on the leased passenger ships Pobeda and Georgia, and on the Peter the Great - along the Black Sea with tourists from socialist countries. In 1960, the first cruise with Soviet tourists was organized on the Admiral Nakhimov on the Crimean-Caucasian line, and in 1962, on the ship Grigory Ordzhonikidze, in the Far East, lasting 20 days, calling at Nakhodka, Olga Bay, Sovgavan, Kholmsk, Korsakov. In the same period, sea tourism began to develop in the North and the Baltic.
In the Soviet Union, the main base of the marine cruise fleet was the Black Sea Shipping Company (ChMP) in Odessa. Therefore, the collapse of the Union had a painful effect on the marine passenger fleet of Russia - the country was practically left without comfortable sea liners. And Ukraine, having inherited more than 40 cruise ships, does not use two-thirds of them today: some were sold or given on long-term foreign charter, some were decommissioned or laid up. The crisis of the Ukrainian economy did not pass by ChMP-BLASCO, the joint-stock company into which the former Black Sea Shipping Company was transformed. Its current insolvency and astronomical debts have repeatedly caused the arrest of ships, including cruise ships, in various ports of the world. Nevertheless, CMP-BLASCO continues to be the main charterer for cruise companies operating in the CIS tourist market. Of the most comfortable passenger ships available to our tourists, the Odessa Shipping Company left the ships of the Belorussiya type (Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Georgia) and the Ivan Franko type (Shota Rustaveli and Taras Shevchenko, which passed recently completely renovated)
The fact that the majority of the country's passenger fleet is based in Odessa determines the direction of sea cruise routes on the Russian market. The most frequent offers are motor ship trips in the Mediterranean Sea with calls at the ports of Turkey (), Greece (Piraeus), Egypt (Port Said, Alexandria), Israel, Italy, Spain and other countries. Cruise tours in the Baltic and North Seas, starting from St. Petersburg or Kaliningrad and providing stops in the ports of Northern Europe and Scandinavia, are a success with Russian tourists. Especially popular among Russians is the traditional sea cruise around Europe (Odessa - St. Petersburg), which allows you to see almost all the leading countries of the "Old World" in one trip.
But motor ship trips in the basins of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, to the shores of the countries of Southeast Asia are a rarity for the domestic cruise business. Only the firm "Primekspress" went on to organize such cruises since 1994. And despite their unprofitability, he plans to continue to carry Russians to exotic countries.
The terms of sea cruises are very diverse and, depending on the direction of the routes, range from one week to one month. They can start and end both in one port and in different ones, both in Russian or Ukrainian, and in any foreign ports
Sea cruises are one of the most comfortable and, therefore, the most expensive types of recreation. Prices for Russian water travel are three-five times lower than global prices due to lower freight rates and cheaper service. For this reason, competition in the domestic cruise market exists only between "our" travel agencies and is almost absent from foreign ones. Occupying a higher position, foreign cruise companies do not make any special attempts to enter the Russian market. And even the opening in Russia of a representative office of the well-known Western travel agency Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd, which operates in many water basins of the world, does not create competition for our cruise operators.
The marine passenger fleet of Russia is under the jurisdiction of the Azov, Baltic, Far Eastern, Caspian, Kamchatka, Murmansk, Northern, Sakhalin and Black Sea Shipping Companies, subordinate to the Russian Ministry of Transport. In addition to the ships of the named shipping companies, Russian tourist firms and organizations rent ships in the Estonian and Danube (Ukraine) shipping companies, Ukrpassflot (Odessa)
The Federal Maritime Transport Service manages maritime transport in Russia.
Vessels for tourism purposes (cruises) are rented under a special agreement - a freight contract, concluded between a tourist organization and a shipping company. Such an agreement includes:
Number and name of ships; number of seats by category;
- itineraries of cruises and their dates;
- the number of bed sets per voyage for each ship and their cost;
- the cost of payment for each flight;
- the total amount of payment for the transportation of tourists;
- responsibility of the parties
Mandatory annexes to the contract are:
1) ship's timetable, agreed with the tourist organization;
2) plan-map of the vessel, approved at the time of conclusion of the contract;
3) calculation of payment for renting a vessel by category of cabins and elemental rates for each sea basin, taking into account seasonal discounts
Recently, some shipowners offer vessels for bareboat charter - long-term lease and operation with all the ensuing responsibility
The shipowner is obliged to comply with the established timetable for the movement of the ship. In the event of a delay in the arrival of the vessel at the port and a reduction in the parking time, the administration of the vessel is obliged to notify the employees of the tourist cruise and tourists about all the changes and deviations in the schedule of the vessel’s movement, to take measures to implement the tourist service program
River cruises. Unlike sea river cruises, they are less affected by the weather, more informative, as they have a coastal view, there is a great opportunity to use green parking
Western Europe has a fairly extensive shipping network of waterways. The following rivers flow through its territory: the Seine, the Elbe, the Danube, the Rhine and other rivers. All of them are connected by a complex system of canals, which provides excellent opportunities for the growth of the popularity of river cruise travel. Germany holds the first place in river cruises, followed by Great Britain, Holland, Switzerland and Austria. The most popular routes are along the Rhine and its tributaries (Moselle, Main, Neckar, Weser). In Europe, river cruises on the Danube through seven countries are in great demand
The most popular river cruise routes among foreign tourists are primarily along the Rhine and Danube. In third place are the Russian rivers Volga, Don, their tributaries, lakes and canals. Demand for these routes fell after Chernobyl, the collapse of the USSR and due to the unstable situation in Russia and the CIS countries
Nile cruises are usually part of a larger tour or holiday program. The same applies to the even more exotic Amazon, the St. Lawrence and the Yangtze. Demand for cruises on French rivers and canals is growing
In the West, the demand for river cruises is increasing every year. Of particular interest are short-term cruises up to five days. This is due to the fact that most tourists prefer to take weekends during the trip so as not to miss work. During this time, tourists manage to visit many places, no matter how they never change hotels. River cruises are especially attractive for middle-aged and elderly people: unlike sea travel, the land is visible all the time, and there is no seasickness
Motor ships operating cruise programs on the rivers of Germany, Great Britain, France and Holland are single-deck and double-deck motor ships of special construction or, in some cases, converted self-propelled barges. Their peculiarity lies in the fact that they all have a low draft and a superstructure. This is due to the fact that most of the routes run through narrow channels and motor ships are forced to pass under low bridges and along shallow rivers. Accordingly, the capacity of such vessels is very small. However, the owners of motor ships are trying to decorate their ship as comfortably and cozily as possible, to supply it with the most necessary things. Among them there are both single-star vessels and comfortable luxury motor ships.
On ships cruising the rivers of Europe, shipowners are trying to increase the area of restaurants, because due to lack of space on some tourist ships, lunch and dinner have to be done in two shifts. This often causes dissatisfaction among tourists, as the first shift feels limited in time, and the second one has to wait a long time. Cruise leaders have now resolved this issue by periodically changing shifts after a few days
This tourist product has certain difficulties in conquering a wide market. The main one is the high price. But nevertheless, this product is moving very well in the European tourist market and the demand for it is growing from year to year. The main consumers of river cruises are the elderly, who prefer coziness, comfort, full board, constant proximity to the coast, as well as interesting excursions to memorable places. The main share of river cruise customers are Americans, French, Germans, Swiss, Dutch
River cruises are diverse in length, duration of routes, topics. As a rule, cruises are offered from 7 to 15 days. There are cognitive, sports, gastronomic cruises, winemaking places, etc.
The sale of a river cruise is direct, when ship-owning firms or tenant firms sell a tourist product through their own office or sell it through a network of specialized agencies, including firms that organize tours and bus trips.
Russian river travel. The Russian Federation has unique opportunities for organizing river trips. Rivers, lakes and canals in the European part made it possible to connect the Baltic, White, Azov, Black and Caspian seas, and Moscow became a port of five seas. As you know, Russia has the largest network of rivers. The length of operated inland waterways is about 100 thousand km, of which more than 16 are artificially created canals and reservoirs. Convenient, efficient waterway connects the North-Western, Central and Southern regions of the country
In 1959, the Central Council for Tourism and Excursions of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions organized the first river route. During that navigation, 10 ships transported 12 thousand travelers. Currently, this figure is more than 1 million people. Nearly 150,000 km of the country's blue roads have now been developed by tourists. They operate 700 hydraulic structures, including 122 locks. The work of the river fleet in Russia is based on the territorial production principle. Passenger transportation is carried out by more than 60 enterprises - former shipping companies and ports, transformed into shipping companies and joint-stock companies. The general management and coordination of the activities of enterprises is carried out by the Service of Rosrechflot of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation.
Currently, tourist transportation is carried out by vessels of joint-stock companies and shipping companies: in the Central Basins, the Moscow River Shipping Company, the Capital Shipping Company, Volga-Flot, the Kama Shipping Company, Doninturflot, the White Sea-Onega Shipping Company, St. Petersburg Passenger Port; in the Eastern basins - Yenisei, Lena and Amur shipping companies
Tourist transportation is carried out on 80 different routes with a duration of 3 to 20 days
About 87% of all tourist traffic is carried out in the shipping companies of the Central and North-Western basins
According to the current practice, shipowners (former shipping companies) lease motor ships to various travel companies, mainly Russian ones, which, having foreign partners, carry out the loading. As a rule, reputable travel agencies from year to year take the same motor ships, carry out their reconstruction and modernization. The following companies are known on the Russian market of river vessels: "Pallada" - cruises along the Volga and the Volga-Baltic Canal; "Svarog" and some others
In previous navigations (90s), some Russian travel agencies chartered 3-4 or more highly comfortable vessels, sometimes from several shipowners. So, for example, the cruise company "Orthodox" cooperates with JSC IC "Volga-flot", LLC "Kama Shipping Company" and JSC "Donintur-flot". Ships are loaded by foreign companies: OdessaAmerica Cruise Company (USA), Phoenix (Germany), Transtu-ro (France). The company "Vis-cruise" cooperates with JSC IC "Volga-flot" and JSC "Doninturflot", the load comes from the companies "Hagshag-Lloyd", "Plan-ture" (Germany), as well as "Voice" and "Big Tourism" (France). Firm "Pallada" has a download from "Olympia Reisen" (Germany). Yenisei river shipping company for loading the ship "A. Chekhov works directly with Mittel-Thurgau (Switzerland)
Year by year, the number of foreign firms is increasing, wishing to send their compatriots on vacation along the rivers of Russia.
The conclusion of contracts between shipping companies and tourist organizations usually ends before December 30 of the year preceding the service. The contract can be concluded for a period of one to three years. Timetables (schedules) for the movement of tourist ships within the boundaries of one shipping company are developed and approved by it in agreement with the interested tourist organization before December 1 of the preplanning year. At the same time, schedules are developed for lines (routes) passing through adjacent basins, but they are approved by the Ministry of River Fleet
After signing the contracts, tourist organizations have the right to start selling vouchers for cruise flights. Vouchers serve as the basis for tourists to occupy the places indicated in them on the ship, receive sets of bed linen (one set for up to 10 days), the established diet and cultural and excursion services
After scheduling, the charterer receives the schedule of the ship, on the basis of which he draws up a scheme of excursion services. At this stage, together with the tourist bureaus located in the cities of the ship, the excursion and entertainment programs, attractions that should be included in the cruise program are negotiated. There is an advance order of tickets and guides in museums and historical complexes along the route and according to the excursion program. Comfortable buses are rented in advance for transfers from the airport and back (for international tourists)
Before the start of navigation, representatives of the shipping company and travel agency, with the participation of the ship's captain, the director of the ship's restaurant and the cruise manager, accept the ship on commission - they inspect the ship's passenger premises and equipment in order to determine their readiness for transporting tourists, about which they draw up an appropriate act. Vessels at the starting points of the voyage are served for boarding on tourist lines 2 hours before departure
The shipping company and the travel agency develop a general daily routine before the start of the tour. Compliance with the established internal regulations on the ship is mandatory for all tourists and service personnel. Registration of tourists is carried out by the cruise leader before boarding the ship in the premises of the river station provided by the shipping company (port). When selling the tour, the tourist is informed about the end of registration (landing) 30 minutes before the departure of the vessel.
When serving tourists on motor ship tours, the following take part:
The crew of the vessel;
- employees of ship restaurants;
- cruise tourist team
Ship cruise workers, usually freelance, are hired in such a way that they can complete the necessary preparatory work before the ship leaves for the voyage. Cruise managers are usually hired 20 days before the start of the season or individual cruise; instructors-methodologists - in 10 days; animators, music workers and others - 5 days before the start of the season or a separate cruise route.
Excursion and pleasure flights. Excursion reps include trips of sightseers made on river boats in order to get acquainted with memorable, historical and other attractions lasting no more than 24 hours
Pleasure trips include transportation of groups of tourists for a short time for the purpose of recreation and familiarization with memorable historical and other places of interest, carried out, as a rule, between two posts with calls and stops at them or without calls and stops. These flights can be more or less than 24 hours long.
Flights lasting less than 24 hours are made, as a rule, by ships of the port fleet and are carried out in suburban and intracity areas.
Almost every company or organization sooner or later faces the need to deliver a large number of people from one point to another. Situations can be very diverse: from a planned trip by a small team in the fresh air to a sightseeing trip around the cities of Russia. In any case, if it becomes necessary to order a bus for an excursion or travel in Moscow, the region and even throughout Russia, the Bus-Avto transport company is at your service!
Ordering a sightseeing bus for rent allows you to avoid many problems: you do not need to worry about transport, worry about the driver's qualifications, or develop a route.
Our advantages
- The Bus-Avto company has a large fleet of vehicles, which allows our customers to rent exactly the bus that best meets their requirements;
- Our buses operate not only within the city of Moscow and the region, but also throughout the entire European part of Russia;
- We are happy to accept both one-time orders and conclude long-term contracts with enterprises;
- All drivers of the Bus-Avto company have a long work experience as bus drivers.
How to rent a tour bus. You just need to indicate the number of passengers, date and time, the route of the trip and express your wishes regarding the comfort of transport. You can pay for the trip at our office or directly at the pickup point.
Our fleet consists of buses of the most varied capacity and different comfort classes.
Our fleet
For trips in small groups, we can offer minibuses:
For trips of large tourist groups, as well as if it is necessary to make a long trip, you can order tourist buses:
The buses that we offer for tourist trips are equipped with everything necessary for long-distance routes. They are equipped with all the amenities for a comfortable trip: air conditioners work, video systems are installed for watching feature and educational films, if necessary, you can get first aid and much more.
All Bus-Avto drivers have extensive driving experience and undergo medical examinations in a timely manner. Before each trip, all vehicles are carefully checked, which almost completely eliminates the possibility of a bus breakdown on the way.
Bus rental in Moscow is becoming more and more relevant. Office centers built outside the Moscow Ring Road, warehouse complexes located outside the Moscow Ring Road or customs terminals located in the Moscow region are almost always located in such a way that it is impossible to get from Moscow to the desired object by public transport without a significant number of transfers. And to deliver employees, visitors to these business centers, tenants or management companies order minibuses and buses from reliable Moscow transport companies. By creating a direct regular bus service from landing points in Moscow to the checkpoint of the enterprise, with a convenient traffic schedule. Also in the summer, many tourists visit Moscow as part of tourist groups traveling on excursions on ordered buses. The cost of renting passenger vehicles is very affordable, so not only enterprises, but also individuals can order this type of transport. The Moscow transport company "AllTrans" offers you services for the transportation of passengers by tourist buses of various capacities and levels of comfort.
Our buses are equipped with a comfortable cabin with air conditioning, a toilet, a refrigerator, a microphone and other additional amenities. The journey to your destination will be pleasant and comfortable.
We offer:
♦ Long-term car rental.
♦ Bus transportation of employees to the place of work - back.
♦ Rent for transfer (travel from / to the airport, holiday homes, train stations).
♦ Car rental for excursions in Moscow, Moscow region.
♦ Rent of tourist buses for intercity trips, Moscow - other regions of the Russian Federation.
♦ Car rental for organizing various events.
♦ Rent a bus for weddings.
♦ Rent for corporate events, trips out of town, etc.
Our company "AllTrans" is interested in transport services to organizations on a permanent, contractual basis - such mutually beneficial cooperation is a stable, daily work of our company.
For the sake of such proposals, we go to a significant reduction in the cost of services.
Rent a bus on a permanent basis
The AllTrans company offers you a long-term lease of comfortable modern buses. Regular transport orders are carried out on the basis of an agreement, the term of which is determined individually with each client. By concluding an agreement for daily transportation of employees, or excursion services for tourist groups, you will use the ordered vehicles at an individually agreed tariff, significantly reducing your company's transportation costs. For regular customers, we have developed a flexible system of discounts. It operates largely on the basis of the period of use of transport, which is certainly cost-effective for those who are interested in long-term service.
Bus transportation of employees to/from work
We offer you transportation of workers, employees from one object to another, or employees from the subway to the place of work. And in the evening back, from the place of work to the collection point, or the subway. Bus rental for the delivery of employees is in great demand in Moscow - the Moscow region, due to the withdrawal of warehouse complexes, customs terminals, production facilities, as well as office space organizationally associated with these facilities, outside the city of Moscow. It is more profitable not to place an order for transport in Moscow every time, but to immediately sign an agreement for long-term cooperation. Your employees will thank you more than once for this order, because long-term cooperation with the Moscow company "AllTrans" will make their life much easier! And increase employee productivity!
Rent for transfer
We offer bus transfers from any airport, meetings - delivery to the desired address, the station of the city of Moscow. Such a service implies a meeting of guests at the point of arrival, their delivery to the hotel or to other addresses specified in the order. The service will allow you to adequately meet the delegation of guests who arrived in Moscow, the tourist group. You need to place an order for a transfer in advance, at least 24 hours in advance.
Tour bus rental
We offer rental of tourist buses to travel agencies involved in organizing excursions around the city of Moscow, the Moscow region, the Central region of Russia. For you, the order will not be a problem! Traveling by bus has a lot of advantages, so bus tours are a very common service today. The AllTrans company offers its customers reliable transport, in which you can confidently go on one-day bus tours around Moscow, as well as over long distances. We will provide this service at an affordable price.
Rent a bus for intercity trips from Moscow.
We offer bus transportation from Moscow to Russian cities. The order of the bus as well as possible will suit you for these purposes. A large selection of rolling stock in our company allows you to order a vehicle with the number of seats sufficient to transport any groups. Intercity passenger transportation from Moscow, as well as multi-day rental of this type of transport is calculated individually.
Bus rental for various events.
We offer motor transport services for various large-scale entertainment, political, business and social events. Our clients are large companies, commercial, public, political, charitable organizations.
Rent a bus for a wedding
We offer rental of buses needed to transport a large number of guests during various celebrations and weddings. Your guests will not suffer from inconvenience. The wedding tourist bus from the AllTrans company can become decoration of any wedding cortege.
Bus rental for corporate events
We offer bus transportation when organizing corporate events, with the participation of a large number of employees and guests. Such events help to get closer, get to know each other better in an informal setting, make friends, find mutual understanding. All this will be very useful in future work. If transportation of a large number of people is required, then the best option for this would be to order the necessary transport from the AllTrans company. We will provide transport services for your events.
If you want to order a bus in Moscow - there is nothing easier!
The rental process will take no more than 20 minutes.
The AllTrans company offers high-quality service, guarantees a polite, responsible, conscientious attitude. We always meet customers on time, in a technically sound, clean car. Our corporate identity is the accuracy and safety of driving in compliance with the rules of the road. Our drivers are always happy to help.
We value our partners and do everything to ensure mutually beneficial cooperation.
Today, renting a bus for a trip abroad is an opportunity to visit several countries at once in a short period of time. But it is important to understand that bus tours are very specific: during the trip, you will need to cross many borders, so the exact time of arrival at the hotels is not known. The situation on the roads, the time spent at passport control, and even the weather - all this is reflected in the duration of the tour. Therefore, the main thing that can be advised to those who need to rent a bus for a trip abroad is to be patient. An interesting book or magazine, a CD, a player - all these little things will help diversify the trip and will not let you get bored on the road.
Tourist buses for all occasions
In the company "Allegro" you can rent buses for tourist trips to the countries of near and far abroad. Transport is equipped with everything necessary for long-distance travel, is in perfect technical condition, reliable and comfortable. Drivers, whose services are included in the rental price, regularly make such trips along well-established and proven routes. All of them have valid visas and are experienced and qualified professionals.
Leave behind all everyday worries, tune in to the perception of new experiences, sit comfortably in a comfortable bus seat and hit the road - to a new city, a new country. It is these bus transportation of tourists - comfortable, safe, carefree, with a high level of service, that our company is ready to offer to the organizers of bus tours.
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Advantages of bus transportation in tourism
In recent years, there has been only a positive trend in demand for bus tourism services, mainly for rented vehicles. The desire to travel by bus is easily explained:
- bus tours are mobile, they do not depend on schedules, they can be organized according to a flexible schedule;
- ordering tourist buses is much cheaper than transfer by train or plane
- traveling by bus, it is possible to get the maximum possible visual information, which is supported by the professional story of the accompanying guide;
- the bus brings tourists directly to the purpose of the trip, eliminating the need to change the mode of transport and mess with luggage.
There are many reasons to book a tourist bus. Renting is justified not only in cases where an excursion to a city, a historical site or a cultural monument is organized. On a rented bus, it is convenient to combine a business conference, an on-site seminar or events of a similar format with a visit to the sights of the city.
Rental of tourist buses with our company
Iridescent sensations from the trip and the carefree mood of tourists on the way are possible only if passengers are confident in their safety and comfortable conditions are created for them. Many years of experience in the field of bus transportation of tourists allows us to take into account the requirements for passenger transportation to the maximum and provide customers with a decent level of travel comfort.
Our fleet of vehicles is comfortable buses with modern equipment. It offers tourists - air conditioning, LCD-monitors, soft light, adjustable seats. The salons feel like home. Before the next flight, the buses undergo a strict technical inspection, and the drivers undergo a medical examination. The fleet of vehicles is equipped with active and passive safety equipment. Our drivers are highly qualified, polite and friendly. The combination of these factors provides complete peace of mind for tourists along the way. By renting a tourist bus, we guarantee the safety of passengers.
We invite travel agencies, sports teams, musical groups, corporate groups to cooperate. At the same time, the efforts of interested parties in ordering tourist buses are reduced only to a call and collecting luggage. Comfortable transport will be delivered to a convenient place at the agreed time. Flexible pricing policy for customers, the ability to choose a bus brand, an individual approach to cost calculation - this is a pleasant addition to those unforgettable feelings that we are sure you will experience on a trip!
Among travel lovers, bus tours are becoming increasingly popular, because they allow you to admire nature and sights throughout the journey. Thanks to modern buses and an increased level of comfort, passengers are much easier to endure moving and get more positive emotions. To organize such a tour, renting a comfortable bus is the best choice:
You are completely independent of schedules and tickets, plan a tour along an interesting route and enjoy the trip. It can be either sightseeing in the chosen city, or combining a business trip with an overview of interesting places - the choice is yours!
Ordering a tourist bus from us is much more profitable than buying plane or train tickets, which makes bus tours very attractive from a financial point of view.
While traveling by bus in Moscow, it is possible to supplement the trip with a fascinating story from the guide, who will tell about the history of the region along the way.
Since the bus tour is tailor-made for you, it will deliver passengers to the exact address and eliminate the hassle of taxis and luggage.
While on the bus, you can share your impressions and discuss any topic together - this way the road will fly by unnoticed and easier.
Advantages of ordering a tourist bus from Busstar:
Our transport is modern and comfortable, it is adapted for long trips and is provided in excellent technical condition.
All our buses are safe, well maintained and clean. They are equipped with air conditioning, monitors, adjustable seats and individual lighting. You can be 100% sure of the quality of our service.
You can rent a bus with a professional driver who is a true master of his craft, punctual, polite and friendly. All our drivers undergo a mandatory medical examination.
The Busstar company is pleased to offer its customers short-term or long-term rental of tourist buses - the price is from 1200 rubles per hour and from 45-50 seats. For regular customers, we have developed a loyalty program that allows us to make our cooperation even more profitable. All that is required for the order is to call our contact phone number, and we will take care of the rest.
