Spending the New Year in Poland for many Russians has become a popular way to celebrate one of the main winter holidays. However, today one of the obstacles to affordable European vacations can become the Polish consulate.
Russian tour operators faced with visa problems for their clients. As noted by the representatives of the Russian Tourism Union, currently electronic application for visa can be submitted to the embassy only from January 10.
Representatives of the Embassy of Poland said that they now try to satisfy in the first place the applications of those tourists, who go for holidays directly in Poland, relegating the transit tourists.
Difficulties in obtaining visas to Poland have also those Russians, who have applied for visas and have already bought the vouchers. Currently, the Embassy of Poland said that 64 000 Russians received Polish visas in Moscow. At least another 90 000 were granted by the consulate in Kaliningrad.
At the same time, the Polish press paid attention to the actions of Polish diplomats, who are willing to sacrifice the hen that lays golden eggs. Polish TV channel tvn24 presented the potential losses of one of the most famous ski resorts in Poland - Zakopane. Thus, on average, every Russian tourist during the holidays at this resort spends about 305 Euros. According to the channel, only embassy in Moscow in December may receive up to 30 thousand visa applications from the Russians for the New Year.
Anyway, if in the next few days the situation will not change, Russian travel agencies will be forced to offer customers other destinations.
Ilya Kalachev
Date: 26/11/2011
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