posted on 10/02/2022 16:30
(Image credit: David/Pixabay)
A total of 417 Russian tourists arrived on Margarita Island in northeastern Venezuela on Saturday (October 2) after seven months of service cut by air restrictions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
The travelers arrived aboard a charter flight operated by Russia’s Nordwind airline, which has been working for months to operate a “neutral” route connecting US and European airspace, according to Pegas Touristik, which is responsible for offering travel packages in Russia avoids.
The route was “carefully” prepared by the tour operator and the Russian Federal Aviation Administration. The company also had to process and coordinate a series of permits that took “all summer,” the Association of Russian Tour Operators (ATOR) reported in September.
According to AFP, the flight with Russian tourists was greeted with the ceremonial water salute.
North Wind opened a direct line between Moscow and Margarita Island in August 2021, which has made the destination popular among Russians thanks to vacation packages offered by local tour operators.
But seven months ago, the connection was cut due to international sanctions against Moscow over the invasion of Ukraine.
Russia and Venezuela have maintained ties these months thanks to the direct route between Caracas and Moscow, operated by the stateowned Conviasa.
The Venezuelan government expects to welcome around 100,000 Russian tourists by December after reopening the service between the island and Moscow, which it estimates will reach a frequency of five weekly flights.
Moscow has been a key Venezuelan ally since the government of late President Hugo Chávez (19992013). The closeness continued with Maduro, who through this relationship managed to avoid sanctions against his government.