Russian federal agencies spread virus allegations in Turkey, tour operators say

Executive Director of Russian Association of Tour Operators (ATOR) Maya Lomidze informed that the allegations that caused a panic of coxsackievirus among Russian tourists visiting Turkey stemmed from the statements released on the websites of federal bodies in Russia.

Although the virus is endemic to Mediterranean countries, even Mexican and American coasts, Lomidze said, the misstatements by the Federal Agency for Tourism of Russian Federation led many Russians to place an application to cancel their holiday reservations. ATOR Director drew attention to the fact that these cancellations did not yield ant increase in the number of tourists visiting Russia's local holiday resorts.

According to a report by Türkrus, a source from Rospotrebnadzor -Russia's Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection -spoke to RIA news agency and confirmed that the body sent a communiqu

é to the Federal Agency for Tourism in close coordination with the country's foreign ministry at the beginning of August. The communiqu, according to the source, alleges that vacation in Antalya poses great threat.

In mid-August, the Federal Agency for Tourism released a statement in which it advised Russian tourists to watch for the threat of virus and stated that the fee paid by the Russians who want to cancel their tours would be refunded.

"Rospotrebnadzor made a decision regarding the unsafe conditions for the health of Russian tourists in Turkey's Gulf of Antalya region. The document has been sent to Rosturism [the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism]," the source from Russia's Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection said.