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Coronavirus pandemic

Russian tourists not to be evacuated from Turkey, Tanzania but can return earlier

Those who are vacationing in these countries on their own can also return home when they initially planned but they should monitor information about possible changes on air companies’ websites

MOSCOW, April 12. /TASS/. Russian tourists vacationing in Turkey and Tanzania will not be evacuated from these countries following Russia’s decision to suspend or restrict air service, but they will be able to return home earlier than originally planned, Zarina Doguzova, head of Russia’s Tourism Agency, said on Monday.

"Tourists who are currently vacationing in Turkey and Tanzania with trip vouchers of travel operators will be able to return to Russia when they originally planned to. Tourists who will return earlier will be able to do it upon agreement with their travel operator," she said.

According to Doguzova, those who are vacationing in these countries on their own can also return home when they initially planned but they should monitor information about possible changes on air companies’ websites.

Earlier in the day, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova, who head Russia’s anti-coronavirus crisis center, said that Russia was restricting passenger air service with Turkey from April 15 to June 1 over an new Covid-19 outbreak in that country, with only two flights being allowed per week on a reciprocal basis. Apart from that, air service with Tanzania will be suspended for the same period.

The Russian Tourism Agency recommends Russian tourists to postpone their trips to Turkey and Tanzania or to change the vacationing destination.

Those who have trip vouchers for a period after June 1 should follow the agency’s updates, Doguzova added.

According to the latest statistics, around 136.1 million people have been infected worldwide and more than 2.9 million deaths have been reported.

To date, 4,649,710 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 4,272,165 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 103,263 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.

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