UrBC, Yekaterinburg, November 11, 2015. Following a ban on Egypt-bound flights, Yekaterinburg travel market might halve in size, Director of Nathalie Tours Yekaterinburg Oleg Khiger said at a press conference.

‘Things look grave enough. The economic recession has already resulted in a 50% drop in the number of travel agents in the summer, and those that did remain afloat had to lay off staff. Now this diminished market will halve again. With Egypt no longer an option, we’ll have nothing to offer to at least 50% of our wintertime travelers. Naturally, neither Sochi nor the Crimea, let alone the resorts within Sverdlovsk Region, can replace a trip to the Red Sea,’ he said.

Khiger believes a drop in the travel market will drive a number of air carriers out of their market as well.

‘Our tour operators’ losses might affect the air travel industry. Quite a few smaller carriers which only had eight to ten planes in their fleet of aircraft used to be very active and operated flights to Egypt, among other destinations. They are the first not likely to survive the winter, since leasing costs money, yet no demand is to be expected,’ he said.