Air transport in tourism. Types of transport. the use of various types of transport in tourism. The role of transport in the development of the tourism industry

Benefits of different modes of transport

Disadvantages of various

modes of transport

Air (aviation): 1) speed, possibilities of transcontinental travel;

2) Designed for long distance travel.

1) uncomfortableness (limited, discharged space is harmful to health);

2) the need for serious information readiness of the passenger;

3) cost;

4) the presence of transits (transfers);

5) the inability to get out of the transport along the way;

6) dependence on the weather;

7) in the event of an accident, rescue operations are difficult, many people die;

8) remoteness of airports, travel time and formal procedures.

Terrestrialth:

1) comfort (for railway transport);

2) the possibility of getting out of transport along the way;

3) for traveling a short distance;

4) efficiency;

5) relative independence from the weather;

6) in an accident, not the entire train is killed, effective rescue operations are possible.

1) accident rate (for road transport).

Water:

1) providing comfortable accommodation and high quality service.

1) relatively low speed;

2) the greatest dependence on the weather;

3) high price;

Air transport is a concept that includes both the aircraft itself and the infrastructure necessary for their operation: airports, dispatching and technical services.

Air transport is the fastest mode of transport. The main field of application of air transport is passenger transportation at distances over a thousand kilometers. Air transport is the most expensive, which limits its use in cargo. Basically, perishable goods and especially valuable cargo, as well as mail, are transported by air. In such cases, when there is no airfield at the landing site (for example, the delivery of scientific groups to hard-to-reach areas), they use not airplanes, but helicopters that do not need a landing strip.

In the regions of the Far North, helicopters play an important role: they transport goods and passengers to production facilities, and provide urgent medical assistance. The main centers of air traffic are Moscow, St. Petersburg, the resorts of the North Caucasus, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Tomsk, Simferopol. At the same time, the overwhelming majority of passenger air traffic is closed at the Moscow air hub: about 80% of air traffic is carried out from Moscow or to Moscow. At the beginning of 2015, 282 airports operated in Russia.

Due to the specific method of movement, air transport has both a number of advantages and significant disadvantages, which limits its use as a freight transport.

The benefits include:

1. High speed.

2. Possibility of cargo delivery to isolated areas (mainly by helicopter).

The disadvantages of air transport include:

1. High cost of transportation.

2. Dependence on the weather.

3. Requires airports (except for helicopter).

4. Low carrying capacity.

In Russia, the work of air transport is controlled by the Ministry of Transport, the Interstate Aviation Committee and Rostransnadzor.

Organization air traffic is mainly aimed at ensuring that aircraft take off and take off on schedule, use the most preferred flight routes, and comply with established levels of flight safety and use of airspace.

Structure and management airspace established in accordance with the Air Code of the Russian Federation.

Intercity and international air transport is regulated by a number of regulatory documents, which can be conditionally divided into several groups. The first of them is the documents of the state regulation of aviation, including the relevant laws, certification standards and licensing rules. The second category is federal aviation regulations. The third group of normative documents is the internal Russian rules for the carriage of passengers and cargo by aircraft.

Features in the work of pipeline transport

Pipeline transport - transportation through pipes of raw materials (liquids or gases) and products (any chemically stable substances that can be moved through pipelines).

The development of pipeline transport in Russia began in the late 1950s. XX century. The most important transported goods are crude oil, natural and associated gas. Transportation of oil products, liquid and gaseous chemicals is promising, but at present, product pipelines are not widely used. In Russia, pipelines of large diameter (1220 and 1420 mm) and large lengths in the latitudinal direction prevail.

Large oil pipelines:

· Oil pipeline "Druzhba" - the largest export route in Russia (Almetyevsk - Samara - Unecha - Mozyr - Brest and further to the countries of Eastern and Western Europe);

Almetyevsk - Nizhny Novgorod - Ryazan - Moscow;

· Nizhny Novgorod - Yaroslavl - Kirishi;

Samara - Lisichansk - Kremenchug - Kherson, Snegirevka - Odessa;

· Surgut - Tyumen - Ufa - Almetyevsk;

· Nizhnevartovsk - Samara;

· Surgut - Polotsk;

Aleksandrovskoe - Anzhero-Sudzhensk;

· Krasnoyarsk - Angarsk;

· Surgut - Omsk - Pavlodar - Chimkent - Chardzhou.

Largest gas pipelines:

· The Saratov - Moscow gas pipeline - the first gas pipeline in Russia (840 km);

· Stavropol - Moscow;

· Krasnodar region- Rostov-on-Don - Serpukhov - St. Petersburg;

· Central Asia - Ural;

· Bear - Nadym - Tyumen - Ufa - Torzhok;

· Nadym - Punga - Perm;

· Urengoy - Surgut - Tobolsk - Tyumen - Chelyabinsk;

· Nord Stream;

· The world's largest gas pipeline system Urengoy - Pomary - Uzhgorod - the countries of Eastern and Western Europe (4451 km), a gas pipeline running from Orenburg through Ukraine to the countries of Eastern and Western Europe.

Large product pipelines:

· Ufa - Brest with a branch to Uzhgorod;

· Ufa - Omsk - Novosibirsk;

· Nizhnekamsk - Odessa.

Gas pipelines Bovanenkovo ​​- Ukhta, Sakhalin - Khabarovsk - Vladivostok are under construction.

Gas pipelines South Stream, Altai, Yakutia-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok and the Caspian gas pipeline, oil pipelines Baltic pipeline system-II, Murmansk oil pipeline and Zapolyarye-Purpe-Samotlor are being designed.

Oil and gas pipelines have the following advantages:

· Pumping oil, gas and oil and gas products over long distances;

· High rate of delivery and different throughput;

· Continuous work all year round (with a short stop, in case of repair or accident);

Losses on the route are minimized thanks to design features pipelines and their preventive maintenance;

· It is possible to transport oil and oil products, the viscosity of which varies significantly;

· Effective functioning in various climatic zones, including in the regions of the Far North and Siberia (for this, pipes with appropriate characteristics are selected);

· A high degree of mechanization and automation of construction and installation activities in the creation of pipelines;

· Comprehensive supervision and management of all processes.

All of these advantages have caused the worldwide development of this mode of transport. This was also facilitated by the development of new oil and gas fields, which were often located at a considerable distance from the areas of processing and consumption of these fuel products.

With the improvement of technologies, not only the volume of pumped oil and gas has increased, but also the length and capacity of oil pipelines. Accordingly, the requirements for the quality and reliability of the pipes used have increased. Therefore, in most high-pressure pipelines, welded large-diameter pipes are used that fully meet all the requirements (due to the quality characteristics of the products).

Pipeline transport has certain disadvantages:

· High cost of initial investment in the construction of an oil and gas pipeline network;

· Danger of damage to the environment (especially during the transportation of underwater pipelines);

· The difficulty of laying the route in certain areas.

It is difficult to underestimate all the noted advantages of pipeline delivery of oil, gas and refined products. The existing disadvantages of using pipelines are eliminated by improving the quality of both pipes and other pipeline elements, and by a set of measures for their prevention and maintenance.

Air transport infrastructure. According to statistics, the growth rate of the popularity of air transport is higher than that of motor transport, which is due to the ever-widening geography of travel and the existing steady trend towards reducing travel times in favor of their frequency. As a result, air transport is the fastest growing industry in the world. The international transport network covers more than 150 countries of the world.

There are more than 1,300 airlines in the world now. On average, about 1.5 billion people are transported on flights annually. International air services are now provided by over 470 carriers, about 250 of them make international regular flights. Serving international air traffic more than 1000 airports of the world participate, about 650 of them serve international regular air transportation.

However, the system of international air transport includes not only international air carriers and airports, but also states connected by international air lines and providing these services, as well as international organizations in the field of air transport, taking measures to ensure its effective functioning and safety.

There is an airline in almost every country in the world, which is a kind of visiting card of the country, whose reliability, punctuality, service and comfort meet the highest international standards. Such a company is called national flag carrier... Such airlines in different countries are: French "Air France", German "Lufthansa", British "British Airways", Austrian "Austrian Airlines", Spanish "Iberia", Swiss "Swiss", Finnish "Finnair" and others. the carrier is Aeroflot - Russian Airlines.

Three quarters of the existing airliners are located on the American continent. Major US airlines are: Federal Express, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Nortwest Airlines, US Airways, Southwest Airlines, TWA (Trans World Airlines), America West Airlines, Alaska Airlines. Their sales volume is up to $ 15 billion per year. Large airlines also operate on the American continent in such countries as Canada - Air Canada, Canadian Airlines; Brazil - Varig, Brasilian Airlines; Mexico (three largest airlines).

The largest airlines in Europe are: "British Airways" (Great Britain); Lufthanza German Airlines (Germany); Air France (France); SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System - Sweden, Denmark, Norway); Alitalia (Italy); Iberia Airlines (Spain); KLM - Royal Dutsh Airlines (Netherlands); Crossair, Swiss (Switzerland); Sabena Belgian World Airlines (Belgium); Finnair (Finland). Bulgaria and Hungary have the largest aircraft fleets of Eastern Europe.

In Asia, the largest airlines are: ANA (All Nippon Airways), JAL (Japan Airlines) (Japan); Korean Air (Republic of Korea); "Saudia - Saudi Arabian Airlines" ( Saudi Arabia); Malaysia Airlines (Malaysia); China Southern Airlines, Air China (China); Cathay Pacific Airways (Hong Kong); JAS ("Japan Air System") (Japan); Singapore Airlines (Singapore); Thai Airways International (Thailand); Iraqi Airways (Iraq); "THY - Turkish Airlines"(Turkey); Philippine Airlines (Philippines).

On the African continent, there are major airlines in Libya, South Africa, Egypt, Algeria. Australia and Oceania also have relatively large airlines. In Australia, these are Qantas Airways and Ansett Australia. The Indonesian company Garuda Indonesia and the New Zealand ANZ (Air New Zealand) have a large fleet of aircraft.

Among the airlines, one can distinguish public(public, that is, regulated by the state) and private(privatized and being private companies). In Europe, airlines are largely governed by national governments. In the US, by contrast, all airlines are privatized and privately owned. Airlines "Swiss", "Scandinavian Airlines" (SAS) are partially privatized, partially owned by the state. British airlines are all privatized.

In most countries, there are generally three main types of airlines operating on a scheduled basis:

· large- national companies flying all over the country and abroad;

· regional- airlines operating within certain regions of one country;

· local- small local airlines flying short distances from small suburban airfields. As a rule, they operate small propeller-driven aircraft with a capacity of up to 40 passengers and carry them to airports for subsequent transfer to flights of major airlines.

For example, the list of the best airlines in the world traditionally includes:

§ the best in overall impression: "British Airways" and "Virgin Atlantic" (Great Britain), "Singapore Airlines" (Singapore), KLM (Holland) and some others;

§ best on long haul: Virgin Atlantic, British Airways (UK), Singapore Airlines (Singapore), Cathay Pacific (Hong Kong, China), Qantas (Australia);

§ the best in first and business class: Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates (UAE), Cathay Pacific (China);

§ best in economy class: Virgin Atlantic, Emirates Airways (UAE), British Airways, Swissair (Switzerland), Singapore Airlines (Singapore);

§ the best in the frequent flyer program: British Airways, American Airlines (USA), Virgin Atlantic, Swissair (Switzerland), KLM (Holland).

Air transport infrastructure also includes airfields and airports. According to the Air Code of the Russian Federation aerodrome Is a land plot with a complex of engineering structures and buildings, specially allocated and equipped for takeoff and landing, taxiing, parking and aircraft maintenance.

Aerodromes located at an altitude of over 1000 m are considered mountainous, located in rough terrain with a relative elevation of more than 500 m - airfields in mountainous terrain. Aerodromes are divided into main (for which landing is provided for by the flight plan) and alternate (intended for landing, when such is impossible on the main one for any reason, the departure aerodrome usually belongs to alternate ones).

The main structure of the aerodrome - the runway (runway) - one or more, as well as the space for taxiing and parking of aircraft. This is a specially equipped strip with a hard surface at the airfield for takeoff and landing of aircraft. The runway is equipped with light and electronic means of navigation and flight support. At modern airfields with the proper equipment, the airliner can be landed automatically without the participation of the pilot.

An airport- a complex of buildings and structures intended for receiving and dispatching aircraft and servicing air traffic, which has an airfield, an air terminal, ground facilities for aircraft maintenance, as well as the necessary equipment, aviation personnel and other workers.

Domestic airport- serving domestic carriers - designed to serve domestic flights of aircraft (within the territory of a given state), the international airport serves international flights. However, in practice, international airports also serve domestic flights, although the actual terminals for domestic and international flights are separate. international Airport- an airport open for receiving and dispatching aircraft performing international air transportation, where customs, border, sanitary and quarantine and other controls are carried out.

There are about 1000 international airports in the world. The 30 largest airports carry more than 10 million passengers a year, with more than half of them in the United States. Six major airports handle over 30 million passengers annually. O-Hara Airport in Chicago has the highest throughput with 60 million passengers a year. In Europe, the most powerful is Heathrow Airport near London (UK). There are 76 international airports in Russia and their number is constantly increasing. Russian airlines operate flights to 175 major airports in 120 countries of the world.

The number of airports in the world is practically not increasing, but the passenger capacity is growing, their infrastructure is developing, and the service technology is improving. According to experts, the airport of the XXI century. should be and is already becoming something more than just a place to board and disembark from an airplane. For example, the British company BAA, which owns Heathrow (in London) and Gatwick (in Glasgow) and Edinburgh Airport (in Scotland), has already turned its terminals into the most profitable retail outlets in the UK.

According to IATA, most of the world's largest airports are located in the Americas. The top ten airports include seven American, two European and one Asian. But just because the airport is the largest in the world does not mean that it is the best in terms of passenger service. This is confirmed by IATA's annual surveys of large numbers of passengers.

The best airports in terms of passenger service are determined according to several criteria: information service, catering, the availability of a variety of shops, communication services, etc. The research results showed that the best airports in the world are located in the cities: Dubai (UAE), Singapore, Hong Kong, Copenhagen (Denmark ), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Seoul (South Korea), Athens (Greece), Vancouver (Canada), Cincinnati (USA), Sydney (Australia).

Dubai Airport, which was launched in 2000, was recognized as the most convenient and efficient in the world. Singapore Airport received the highest score for its helpful staff. Copenhagen Airport came in fourth place, becoming the best in Europe. Seoul Airport was ranked sixth. None of the major airports were rated by the passengers surveyed.

Despite the expanding infrastructure and service capabilities, the airport retains its main function - it is the place of boarding and disembarking from an aircraft. Place of departure and arrival from the flight. Based on this, the main task of the airport is to service flights of various airlines and service air passengers.

V airport tasks includes: servicing passenger traffic, cargo and mail; providing flights of foreign and national airlines within the airport; ensuring the regularity and safety of flights, meteorological observations; ensuring the proper operation of communication facilities and light signaling; aircraft maintenance and refueling; change of toilet tanks, garbage collection; an important operation is the prompt preparation and supply of compact food for each flight.

Each airport has the following units: a runway and field service squad; lighting personnel; air navigation service; technical personnel for servicing passengers on boarding and disembarking from the aircraft, as well as loading and unloading baggage; cargo service (cargo handling); aircraft engineering; meteorological service; medical service, including a sanitary and quarantine point; help desk.

In each airport, in close cooperation with the employees of the airport itself, there are representative offices of airlines flying on the lines to which the airport belongs. Control services (border, customs, sanitary and quarantine, veterinary, phyto-sanitary, etc.) operate at international airports.

The territory of each airport is strictly divided into two zones: a) the arrival (arrival) area and b) the departure (departure) area. A special place is allocated at each airport - the so-called the waiting area(for meeting passengers, transit passengers, etc.). A special area of ​​each international airport is neutral zone. Departing passengers after customs and passport control before departure of the aircraft, and arriving passengers - before customs and passport control must be in this zone. On this neutral territory, there are usually all kinds of shops " duty free», Exempt from taxes and duties.

Infrastructure railway transport... Railways with varying network density and level of technical equipment are built in most countries of the world, but there are a number of countries where there are no railways. These include: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Belize, Bhutan, Brunei, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guinea, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Congo (Zaire), Kuwait, Lesotho, Libya, Mauritius , Niger, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Yemen, Qatar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, UAE, Uruguay and some others.

Until the intensive development of road and air transport from the middle of the XIX century. and in the first half of the XX century. the railroad was one of the main means of moving travelers from their primary residence to another locality or country. Since the intensification of technological progress, road transport and air carriers have taken over a significant share of transportation. However, the creation of high-speed railways restored competitiveness to the railway.

Within the main European countries - Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Great Britain - travel between major capitals and tourist centers today is even more convenient to travel by train than by bus or plane. The journey from Milan to Rome takes just over 2 hours with a train speed of over 200 km / h. Moreover, the train travels along a fairly straight line, which is always shorter than any road connecting two settlements.

In the presence of high-speed trains the greatest efficiency of movement on the railway is observed when traveling over distances of up to 500-600 km. In this case, high-speed railways make it possible to overcome this route in 2-3 hours, which is quite convenient for tourists. In addition, trains usually arrive at train stations traditionally located right in the very center of large cities and capitals, which minimizes transfers and creates significant advantages over aviation. If we add to this the fare, which is several times lower (compared to air transport), then the advantages of rail transport (especially when traveling over medium and relatively short distances) are obvious. For transportation distances less than 500 km, it is more efficient to use road transport, and for more than 1000 km, air transportation.

In addition to its original purpose - transportation - the railway is actively used for entertainment purposes. Unhurried "steamboat trips" on old trains (retro trains) with unique locomotives in national parks have become an excellent entertainment for tourists spoiled by super-highways. Clubs of railway lovers have been organized all over the world, zealous collectors of old steam locomotives and even owners of small private roads equipped with rolling stock have been found. late XIX and early XX centuries. The subject of tourist interest is photo and video filming of retro locomotives with a plume of black smoke from a picture chimney against the background of beautiful landscapes, and even phonograms of original and characteristic sounds of mechanisms when driving.

The role of railway transport in the Russian Federation and on the territory of the post-Soviet space remains traditionally large. This type of transport is invariably very popular with the overwhelming majority of the country's population and is used as the main mode of transport in the implementation of both domestic (to a greater extent) and international tourist trips. At present, in Russia, rail transport accounts for almost 50% of passenger traffic.

The structure of railway transport is based on the production-territorial principle, according to which the entire railway network of the country is divided into separate large sections - railways. In turn, the railways are divided into departments, which are the main production links of the railways. The departments manage the financial and production and economic activities of all production and line divisions located within this railway: stations, train stations, railways, track infrastructure, track structures, etc.

Consequently, the railway transport infrastructure is formed by linear and nodal elements. Linear railways include the railways of a country or region. The nodal and point elements include passenger stations, railway stations, technical services of the railway. Let's consider them and their functions in more detail.

Passenger stations- separate points of railways, where operations with passenger trains and wagons are carried out - formation, reception and dispatch, transit, maintenance of rolling stock, passenger service. Special stations are being built to serve passengers. Passenger stations are divided into through, nodal, dead-end, combined, technical, and passenger-and-freight.

Depending on the destination, passenger stations have tracks for receiving and dispatching passenger trains, performing shunting operations, and temporarily parking trains; railway station buildings and pavilions for passenger and service personnel; platforms and transitions. The stations have technical services and parks, baggage and cargo services.

Train Station- a complex of buildings and structures specially designed and properly equipped for servicing passenger trains and passengers. The station generally contains the station building itself with waiting rooms, ticket offices, food points, baggage services, office premises, platforms, station tunnels and crossings.

Railway stations are separate (for servicing only long-distance and suburban trains), semi-separate, when the station is structurally divided into two parts for long-distance and suburban lines, as well as single (the station is not divided into zones for long-distance and suburban trains; all platforms are located together and are used in a complex manner). Depending on the location of the station buildings in relation to the tracks, side buildings are distinguished, located on one side of the tracks, island - the building is located between the tracks, dead-end and channel (subway and above the track).

Large railway stations have a huge capacity - up to 20 million passengers per year or more. At the same time, intense passenger flows are generated as trains leave and arrive. Accordingly, they are allocated passengers of departure, passengers of arrival, transit passengers, passengers of passing long-distance trains and passengers of tourist trains who have a long stay at this station. For each category of passengers, the zone, the area of ​​the station premises and the service system are determined.

At the stations themselves, the zones of departure and arrival of passengers are highlighted. This is important, especially at dead-end and junction stations, when more than 1000 passengers with luggage leave the train at the same time. The correct organization of service areas for passing high-speed trains is important. Station crossings connect platforms, station premises, waiting rooms and the station square. Among them, there are crossings at the same level with the tracks, at the level of platforms, bridges and concourses, viaducts, ramps, tunnels, stairs, escalators.

Waiting rooms are designed for passengers of various categories, including transit, lounges for passengers with children and a comfortable waiting room for VIPs. Toilets, shops, food outlets, bars, restaurants, ticket offices, information and service services, business centers, currency exchange offices, medical assistance and security points are located in them or in adjacent premises of the station.

Technical Services railways are very diverse. In addition to the actual organization of train traffic and the technical maintenance of rolling stock, these services perform multiple duties of booking and selling tickets to passengers, information functions, supplying fuel, water, bed linen, food, garbage and waste collection, security.

Road transport infrastructure. Car services used in the tourism industry include the following main areas: 1) the organization of bus travel (including caravans); 2) organization of car travel: using your own car; car rental in the place of permanent residence; car rental at the place of rest.

Several types of transport are involved in international passenger transportation: air, international, sea and road, which includes cars and buses. At the present stage of development of international transportation, road transportation has a high share in the total volume of international passenger transportation.

By 2007, the share of road transport decreased significantly and amounted to less than 40% due to an increase in the share of air transport in transport travel. Nevertheless, road transport is still the leader in tourist transportation, performing two main functions: independent type of travel and excursions; auxiliary (transfer) transport. It should be noted that 92% of all excursions are conducted using road transport.

The most popular tourist transport is a bus, in most cases it is the property of large tourist companies, associations, concerns, associations. Other travel companies use the services of trucking companies on the basis of long-term leases or one-time orders.

Tourist road transport is carried out mainly by bus (78%), cars (17%) and other types of road transport (5%). With their high maneuverability and mobility, tourist buses are out of competition on short and medium (up to 500 km) routes. Highly comfortable tourist buses are also used on long routes (tours around Europe, the Golden Ring, etc.). At the same time, the rest of tourists at night is provided, as a rule, in hotels or motels (roadside hotels). According to the international classification, according to a number of criteria, buses are certified by category (number of stars).

Tourist and excursion transportation is the most popular type of travel in our country. They are widely used by travel agencies in organizing domestic and inbound tourism. In particular, many travel agencies in the country are developing Bus tours for both Russian and foreign tourists. Such routes are classified according to a number of characteristics: time of implementation, duration, region, subject, travel conditions.

Most domestic tours usually range in length from one to ten days. For example, the most famous multi-day bus route (4-5 days) is the route through the cities of the Golden Ring. The theme of tourist and excursion bus routes is also very diverse. Tour operators offer programs of religious themes (visits to monasteries and places of worship countries), pilgrimage tours, space tours (visits to cosmodromes, aviation and cosmonautics museums), theater tours (visits to the most famous theaters in Moscow and St. Petersburg), nature tours (field trips, weekends, etc.), holiday tours ( participation in festive events) and others. We also offer non-traditional bus tours - sauna tour, jeeping, fishermen, hunter tours, tasting and gastronomic tours.

In addition to the organization of guided tourist and excursion bus tours, unaccompanied charter tours and excursion trips for independently formed groups of tourists are organized on domestic routes. In the first case, buses are used for the organized delivery of sports fans, businessmen, scientists, and participants in festivals. In the second case, motor transport enterprises or travel agencies organize a short trip for everyone along an interesting city or suburban route, accompanied by a guide.

International bus tours differ in duration, content of excursion programs and conditions of service during the trip. In terms of these factors, all international bus tours can be divided into economical, standard, branded and exclusive. V economical tours the trip includes a varied excursion program, accommodation in 2-3 star hotels located on the outskirts of cities, night transfers. V standard tours one night crossing is expected, accommodation in 2-3 star hotels near metro stations or public transport lines, a varied excursion program and free time in large cities. V company tours there are no night transfers, accommodation is organized in 3-5 star hotels located in the city center, a rich excursion program and free time in the visited settlements are provided. Exclusive tours are formed on the basis of corporate ones, if desired, the wishes of customers are accepted.

Currently, international passenger transportation by buses in Russia is actually two directions, namely, irregular transportation in the framework of international bus tourism and passenger transportation on regular international lines. With the formation of the CIS, there has been a significant change in each of these areas of transportation activities.

In contrast to the irregular transportation of tourists, international regular bus lines have become widespread relatively recently, after Russia entered the market path of development, which made it possible to ensure the necessary regulatory framework and freedom of movement of Russian citizens abroad. One of the pioneers in this area was the Reichert company, which for the first time opened a regular route Russia - Germany.

For more than ten years, the Eurolines bureau has been operating in Moscow, an international association of road carriers that unites 35 largest European bus companies... For those who prefer to travel on their own, the Eurolines bus system is the most suitable way to travel, cheap and at the same time allowing you to see almost all of Europe. Currently, the Eurolines bus system connects more than 40 major cities in Europe: London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Lyon, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Cologne, Munich, Vienna, Basel, Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Rome, Milan , Florence, Prague, Budapest, Warsaw, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Zurich, Bordeaux, Venice, Dublin, Krakow, Bratislava, etc.

Bus tourism. Bus tours- travel of groups of tourists on their own or rented buses. They can be carried out everywhere and with little or no restrictions. Due to its mobility and relative independence from transport communications and schedules, bus travels allow organizing routes to interesting places at the most convenient time for tourists. Bus travel routes are subdivided into urban, suburban and intercity routes.

The advantages of bus tours are their relative cheapness: a bus trip costs about 1.5-2 times cheaper than a regular tour with air travel and the fact that the price of bus tours does not change throughout the season, regardless of demand. A lot of experience has been accumulated in the organization of bus tourism and there are long traditions in comparison with other types of tourism. The possibility of being included in the bus route of small towns makes such trips convenient for family tourists and the elderly. The participation of cars and buses in international tourism reflects the ratio of individual and group tourism, since international bus tourism is in the bulk of group tourism.

Modern bus tourism is currently characterized not only by quantitative growth, but also by constant qualitative change, expressed in a wide variety of bus use in international tourism. A traditional type of international bus tourism is route trips, the essence of which is that the programs for them are drawn up taking into account the maximum use of buses during the entire trip. Recently, combined bus tourism has been developed - route tourism and recreation, attracting tourists with a combination of educational and health-improving recreation.

Thus, bus transportation in international traffic is very popular among tourists in various countries. The main advantage of this type of transportation is the optimal price / quality ratio, which makes it possible to use them in mass international tourism. Currently, the world market for international bus transportation is experiencing a rapid growth in sales volumes and quality indicators of service.

There are two ways to organize the irregular transport of tourists:

1. A travel company develops a specific bus tour and entrusts the transportation to a transport organization that develops a route, performs flight maintenance, etc.

2. A travel agency rents a bus from a transport organization (or a private person) and carries out the transportation itself. However, in this case, such a company must have a license to transport passengers in the international direction, the necessary permits, etc.

Bus companies offer the following tour packages and bus rental service:

1. Charter tours- service evenings, day trips to competitions, week trips - holiday tours;

2. Guided tours- trips of pre-planned groups lasting from five days to one month, accompanied by a leader;

3. Independently formed groups- the tour includes visits to cities and attractions using regular buses;

4. Flexible tours- combination bus transport with other vehicles.

The rights and obligations of the carrier and tourists are governed by the contract for carriage, contract for tourist services and a voucher. Bus travel can be organized on our own buses owned by travel agencies, as well as on rented buses owned by independent transport companies of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation. Currently, in Moscow alone, there are more than 30 transport companies specializing in international tourism: “ Old city"," Avtotour-Sputnik "," Avtoturtrans "," Inters "," Turtrans-Voyage "and others.

Automotive tourism and car rental... The advantage of using road transport is that it makes travelers independent in time, routes, and traffic schedules. The main forms of auto tourism are:

· individual tourism- a tourist, going on a trip, knows that no one guarantees him an overnight stay and food (provided that this is a long trip);

· organized tourism- a trip of one or several cars on an exact schedule and with a full range of services during stops;

· caravanning- a type of automobile tourism in which a caravan (autocaravan) is used as a means of accommodation.

A very common service among tourists, especially on stationary and resort tours. The leading car rental company in the world is Hertz. The competing company Avis in the mid-90s. XX century. was named the best car rental company by the English magazine "Institutional Investor".

Infrastructure aquatic species transport... Tourist business has different forms of travel organization and one of them is cruises. Cruise is a tourist trip on a river or sea, usually with a call to ports, on board a special passenger ship. Currently, dozens of cruise companies around the world operate hundreds of passenger ships with a capacity of 70 to 2000-3000 passengers and offer exciting trips to almost any region of the world.

In fact, a cruise is a sea or river tour, the base price of which includes a comprehensive service on board. In particular: travel by boat, accommodation in a cabin (depending on the chosen class), three meals a day, entertainment and, as a rule, a number of special events on board (holidays, festivals, competitions, concerts, etc.).

Cruise companies and the cruise ships they own are most often included in the infrastructure of water activities. The vast majority of the nearly fifty companies operating in the global cruise market are North American. But today there are no more than fifteen significant companies left, and due to the active process of their merger, this number is constantly decreasing. In the top ten mega-companies - Carnival, Royal Caribbean, P&O Princess, Star Cruises, Norwegian cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Festival, Crystal. Among the main market players, about 85% of companies are from the United States (often sailing under the flags of other states - Panamanian, Liberian, etc.). The first three leaders - Carnival, Royal Caribbean, P&O Princess and their affiliated companies “hold” approximately 81% of the world cruise market.

Another feature of the modern cruise business is the emergence of giant ships. Leading cruise lines have staged a race of titans among themselves. In the next few years (2007-2010), about 50 new generation 4-5 * class liners with a displacement of 70-100 thousand tons will be launched, which will replace ships built in the 80-90s. The new superliners will accommodate 2,500-3,000 passengers and will be equipped with arcades of shops and restaurants, casinos, ice skating rinks and golf courses.

There are several common classifications of passenger ships and cruise routes... The international association of cruise companies CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), as well as the leading international cruise directories "Berlitz", "Fodor" subdivide sea routes, depending on the cost of a day of stay, into four categories: economy, classic, premium cruises and luxury cruises. ". Silversea Cruises is the first on the international luxury listings, the only six-star ultra all inclusive, and offering an upscale but more democratic Crystal vacation.

In turn, cruise ships classified by star rating - from 1 to 6 stars and groups: Standart ("2-4 stars"), Premium ("5 stars" - "5 stars plus") and Lux ​​("6 stars"). Cruise ships are certified in 6 categories (stars). Only four ships in the world belong to the super-luxury category (6 stars). The cost of a cruise of this class is $ 6000-8000 per week. Here passengers are accommodated only in apartments. The cost of such a cruise includes everything, including tips. Vessels of this class are designed for 200 passengers and 150 crew members.

11.1. The role and place of transport services in the tourism market

Transport is one of the most important components of the material base of the economy of any country. Since ancient times, transport has been the engine of progress. The man used any means at hand to transport people and goods. With the invention of the wheel, and somewhat later of various types of engines, man began to develop the means of transportation accordingly: carts, carriages, steamers, steam locomotives, airplanes, etc. This made it possible to travel long distances and for various purposes

Currently, transport is one of the most important components of the state's economy, both developing and with a highly developed economic and social base. Transport ensures the normal functioning of the economy, increasing the efficiency of social production, creates conditions for the rational distribution of production forces throughout the country, taking into account the most expedient approach of enterprises of various sectors of the economy to the sources of raw materials and areas of product consumption, specialization and cooperation of production, allows the development of such industries as trade , Agriculture other. Transport is a leading factor in tourism development

The role of transport in solving social problems, providing business, cultural and tourist trips of the population, the development of cultural exchange within the country and abroad is great.

Transport ensures the development of international economic relations, contributing to the implementation of mutually beneficial exchange between different countries

Historically, the formation of transport systems in various states was influenced by their geographic location, natural potential, and often climatic and landscape characteristics. This led to the formation of those transport and technical bases that are most rationally used in the conditions of a particular region and state.

For example, the structure of railway transport is more profitable to develop in regions with predominant plains, and river transport - in the presence of a system of rivers and lakes, as in Austria, Germany, Russia, Finland and Canada.

The seas and oceans, as the most convenient and accessible ways for people to move from ancient times, have contributed to close and distant travel, and rivers, canals and lakes -
tourism

For the first time, the English pastor Thomas Cook, from whom the history of the modern tourist movement is reckoned, organized precisely the railway journey from Liverpool to London. Then in 1843 he organized boat excursions on the Thames. At almost the same time, American Express launched regular excursions around the Mississippi on the legendary paddle steamer Mississippi on the American continent. Similar cruises began to be made along the Nile, Rhine, Danube

The development of transport as an integral part of the infrastructure is constantly given great attention by the governments of almost all countries of the world

In the XX century. a powerful transport system was created in Russia. The length of the communication network of all types of transport is currently about 5 million km

With the development of tourism, transport routes will constantly expand, as the increased demand for travel has a positive impact on the development of transport infrastructure. Transport, in turn, allows you to expand the geography of travel. There is a mutually beneficial and beneficial interaction for both parties.

Transport services are one of the main types of services in tourism. They also account for the main share in the structure of the tour price. Depending on the duration and distance of travel, this share (in most cases) ranges from 20 to 60%

Various types of transport are used by tourism organizations to transport tourists while traveling

The main share in the overall structure of transport services belongs to air transport. The largest number tourists, especially long-distance travelers, use aviation services. In this case, the plane can, figuratively speaking, be called the transport of individuals. The most massive flows of tourists traveling with resort, business, entertainment, educational purposes are individual tourists. And they are the ones who most often use air transport.

Automobile transport can rightfully be called a transport of general use, since it is used everywhere: from transfers and excursions, intra-route transportation by buses to renting small cars by tourists for personal use on vacation. Buses and cars & nbsp transport of local and intraregional importance. Bus excursion-cognitive tours with visits to several cities and places of interest are especially popular. It is convenient for tourists that they can travel along the route and within the city on their own transport. True, parking is difficult in many cities in Europe and Russia.

The main competitor of buses in group transportation is the railway. Within our country, it also has some priority over air transportation (on group intra-Russian routes). The advantage of rail transportation is also lower tariffs and (in foreign countries) an extensive system of discounts, travel tickets, etc., allowing you to travel at significantly lower prices. However, neither bus nor rail services compete with long-distance aviation.

Water transport, river and sea, by themselves already evoke the image of tourist - cruise service and are used in tourism quite actively. Water travel has a number of both advantages and disadvantages compared to other modes of transport. The most significant advantages are a high level of comfort, a large volume of one-time loading, the possibility of implementing various types and purposes of tourism (educational, business tourism, educational, shopping tourism, etc.), good rest, a full range of life support. The main disadvantages are the low speed of movement of vehicles, high tariffs, limited mobility, and often the susceptibility of some people to "seasickness" on sea cruises

11.2. Air transport in tourist transport

According to statistics, the growth rate of the popularity of air transport is higher than that of motor transport, which is due to the increasing expansion of the geography of travel and the existing steady trend towards reducing travel times in favor of their frequency (growth of short-term long-distance tours). All this is causing the tourist business to pay close attention to air transportation. Airplanes are the most popular form of transportation in the world. The same can be said about air travel in tourism. And there are a number of reasons for this:

First, aviation is the fastest and comfortable view transport when moving long distances;
- secondly, the service on flights currently looks attractive for tourists;
- thirdly, aviation companies, directly and through international booking and reservation networks, pay travel agencies a commission for each seat booked on the plane, thereby motivating them to choose air travel

Air transport is one of the fastest and most dynamically developing sectors of the world economy and every year it occupies an increasingly strong position in the global transport system.

There are more than 1,300 airlines in the world now. On average, about 1.5 billion people are transported on flights annually. International air services are now provided by over 470 carriers, about 250 of them make international regular flights. More than 1,000 airports of the world take part in servicing international air traffic, about 650 of them serve international scheduled air services.

The largest airlines in the world in terms of traffic are American Delta Air Lines, Pan Amerikan, United, French Air France, German Lufthansa, British British Airways, and others. Russian Aeroflot is considered a major airline.

However, the system of international air transport is made up not only of international air carriers and airports, but also states connected by international air lines and providing these communications, as well as international organizations in the field of air transport, taking measures to ensure its effective functioning and safety.

The international transport network currently covers all geographic regions and more than 150 countries of the world

Air transport is regulated in three ways:

1) national regulation - licensing of air carriers operating both on domestic and international routes;
2) intergovernmental regulation - when regular air routes are based on agreements between the governments of the respective countries;
3) international regulation - when tariffs for scheduled flights are set (for members of airlines) on the basis of mutual agreements between the participating airlines through the mediation of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) or a third party

One of the types of international regulation of air transportation is the plans to create a pool connecting airlines operating on certain international routes.

The pool agreement connects airlines operating on the same international routes in order to optimize the flight schedule, reduce directions and regulate passenger flows during peak hours and periods, as well as in order to increase profits on these routes and its further distribution between airlines

A pool agreement in principle can lead to the elimination of competition on the route. But this also means maintaining the possibility of participating in transportation on the lines for companies of different sizes. Pool agreements are often negotiated between airlines that are not comparable in size in order to provide them with the best possible carriage opportunities and profit margins. Financial agreements between pooled carriers usually limit the maximum amount of revenue transferred from one carrier to another to reduce the government's ability to support inefficient carriers. In some countries, however, pool agreements are currently prohibited (for example, in the USA)

International regulation of air transportation is carried out on the basis of international agreements signed between countries for many years.

The Warsaw Convention of 1929 was the first general agreement between airlines dealing with the responsibility of airlines for the safety of passengers in the event of death, injury or loss of baggage during carriage. (The Montreal Protocol later determined that the maximum liability would be periodically revised due to inflationary processes. Today, the airline's liability to the passenger amounts to a maximum of US $ 20,000.) This agreement is the basis for insurance of passengers, mail and baggage on international air transportation.

The 1944 Chicago Civil Aviation Convention, in which 80 countries participated in the discussion, contains an agreement to standardize migration procedures for air services between countries. These principles were adopted to provide the basis for bilateral agreements between countries. The agreement agreed not to regulate charter flights, allowing countries to apply individual regulations and the conditions under which they accept and service charter flights.

The Bermuda Agreement of 1946 & nbsp Anglo-American on transatlantic flights & nbsp regulated bilateral agreements on these routes. In 1977, the Bermuda Agreement was revised (and ratified in 1980), in 1986 the new agreement expanded the actual load on routes across the Atlantic, limited by two British and two American carriers.

Since air transport takes an ever stronger position in the global transport system every year, it has long been necessary for its worldwide coordination and regulation. These issues are dealt with by international aviation organizations. Let's consider the most influential and well-known of them.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is one of the first most solid and authoritative world structures. ICAO members are 183 states. ICAO works closely with other organizations such as the United Nations Community, World Meteorological Organization, International Union of Electrical Communications, World Post Union, World Health Organization, International Sea Organization.

The International Association of Air Transportation - I ATA - was created to coordinate the actions of global airlines aimed at ensuring the safety and efficiency of air transportation in all regions of the world. Founded in 1919 and reformed in 1945, IATA is the professional association of international aviation companies. The main function performed by the Association is the streamlining of international commercial aviation communications, the introduction of uniform rules and procedures for all members and the establishment of agreed tariffs for passenger transportation on international routes.

Travel agencies participate in the activities of IATA through its special branch - the International Travel Agents Network (IATAN), the International Organization of Airline Agents, as well as through the international organizations of civil airports

As part of the organization of tourist travel, there are several forms of interaction between travel companies and airlines:

Reservation of seats and redemption of air tickets through the airline's agencies;
- reservation of seats and redemption of air tickets through the reservation system;
- an agreement with an airline for a quota of seats on regular airlines;
- agency agreement and work as an agency for the sale of air tickets for their tourists;
- organization of charter flights for tourist transportation

In order to correctly choose the most convenient and profitable section of tourist transportation, as well as to correctly conclude a contract for air transportation of tourists, you need to know all the features, advantages and disadvantages of this or that type of interaction with the airline.

The travel agent also needs to know the rules for booking air tickets, working with stocks, tariffs and discounts provided by airlines.

Professional ethics requirements when booking air tickets. In order to avoid additional inconveniences for air carriers, as well as to facilitate the booking process and improve the quality of service for passengers, travel agents should adhere to the following simple rules:

Follow standard airline-specific booking procedures
- Never book a double booking for a passenger if they can't decide which flight to fly. Moreover, never issue two or more tickets for such a passenger if it is obvious that he will be able to use only one of them.
- Regardless of the passenger's route, be sure to try, as far as possible, to provide the airline with emergency telephone numbers for emergency contact with the passenger along the route
- If the passenger changes the route, immediately cancel the corresponding reservation with the airline, as well as refuse all other related services that are not required
- Strictly adhere to the terms and procedure for issuing tickets required by air carriers. Never issue tickets with a guaranteed seat until this guarantee has been validated by the airline concerned.
- All seats booked with airlines must be accurately registered and properly documented. The documents to be drawn up and the copies remaining with the agent must contain an indication of the flight number, date and class of the flight, status (guaranteed / non-guaranteed seat) of each individual flight, surnames and initials of passengers and their contact numbers or addresses. Report immediately in the prescribed form on the receipt of all deposits

Always remember that the convenience of passengers and the normal operation of other agents and airlines depend on your efficiency, accuracy and consideration.

The contract for the quota of seats on regular flights. A quota of seats, or a block of seats, can be hard or soft. This affects the terms of the contract and special benefits and discounts. With a tight quota of places, all responsibility for non-implementation of the block's places falls on the travel company, regardless of the reason for non-implementation. The travel agency incurs financial losses. With a soft quota of places, the terms of a possible refusal of a travel company from the quota or part of the quota of places due to the failure to sell tourist vouchers are established. These terms provide for the possibility of further sale of these seats by the airline itself or its other agents.

The contract with the airline for the quota of seats on regular flights includes:

Schedule of functioning of rounds in the direction "there" and "back" with an indication of the destinations;
- the number of tourists in each group (quota of places);
- deadlines for filing applications and redemption of air tickets;
- deadlines for canceling tickets for tickets without deducting fines (soft block);
- types of fares for purchased tickets, preferential fares, conditions for granting preferential fares;
- discounts and benefits for the quota of places;
- the procedure and terms for the return of redeemed but unused tickets, material liability arising from the terms of return (soft block).

Agency agreement with the airline. In principle, some airlines consider as their agents all travel companies that have an agreement with them for a quota of seats. However, in its purest form, an agency agreement means working with stocks, i.e. when a travel company gets the opportunity to independently act as an airline agency for the sale of air tickets (both for its tourists and just a sale), which simplifies and speeds up the procedures for booking and issuing travel passes documents. The travel agency itself acts as the airline's “ticket office”, that is, it issues tickets itself and has the appropriate computer equipment and the right to access the airline's reservation network (for example, Gabriel at Aeroflot). This type of work with air tickets is called “work with a stock of air tickets”.

The airline, represented by this travel agency, has an additional point of sale (one of the conditions of the agency agreement is usually the preferential sale of tickets for this particular airline for tours)

The agency agreement with the airline provides for the solution of the following issues:

Who and on what conditions provides equipment for issuing air tickets, air ticket forms;
- training of personnel for the maintenance of this equipment;
- sales volumes are most often set individually - by the number of tickets per month (for example, at least 10/200 tickets per month) or by sales proceeds (from 10 to 200 thousand US dollars or more in different airlines);
- the limits of possible sales (regionally or by consumer segment);
- at whose price air tickets are sold - at the price of an airline or at the price of a travel agency (most often at the price of an airline);
- prices and tariffs of air ticket sales;
- terms of payment for air tickets & nbsp prepayment or payment as it is sold (for stock agents in some airlines, prepayment is established for groups of tourists);
- the size of the commission for the sale of air tickets (up to 9% of the sold tariff);
- the timing and frequency of submission of airline reports, their form and the documentation required in the attachment (usually 1 or 2 times a month);
- the amount of bank guarantees in favor of the airline or 1АТА (from 20 thousand US dollars);
- membership in IATA.

Charter (aircraft rental). When organizing charter air transportation, the customer determines the route with the airline, the obligations of the parties are negotiated with him, the compliance of the lease agreement with international rules is determined, and the cost of the flight is determined. Then a special charter agreement is concluded, which stipulates:

Aircraft type (make);
- the number of places for sale;
- the cost of renting an aircraft;
- route indicating the airports of departure and arrival;
- the term of the contract (season, year, etc.);
- regularity of flights;
- the possibility and deadlines for canceling (canceling) the flight and the corresponding sanctions

The peculiarity of charters is such that one full flight (the second and penultimate flights - the first return after the first delivery and the last one there before the last export) is performed without tourists: on the last flight, the plane picks up the last tourists, but does not bring new ones, since it is no longer behind them. will return (that is, for 10 tourist arrivals there are 11 flights). The formula N + 1 applies here. Thus, the largest number of flights during the period of the air charter program reduces the cost of the “drop-out” flight, which means it also reduces the airfare.

It should be noted that during the season it is realistic to organize 20 arrivals (with weekly flights). However, the charter can also be launched with a frequency of 2 times a week - then the number of flights per season increases to 40. This significantly reduces the tariff, but is not available for loading by the absolute majority of travel companies. This explains the emergence of "intermediate" entrepreneurs on the tourist transportation market - wholesalers, who consolidate large charters in their hands and distribute them in the future among smaller companies in the form of block charters (that is, 10-30 seats ). The wholesale tour operator, as a rule, conducts the sale of blocks of seats on its charter according to three worked out options: hard, soft and combined blocks of seats.

A soft block, in which the customer does not have any financial responsibility and has the right to fully or partially abandon his seats within a predetermined time frame, is more convenient for the travel agent. However, if the refusal occurs later than the deadline, then the customer will have to pay a fine. Usually soft blocks are used quite rarely, since they are not always beneficial to the charter holder (be it an airline or a wholesaler tour operator).

The hard block provides for strict contractual obligations in terms of sale and payment terms. The customer makes an advance payment, the amount of which usually includes the cost of two paired flights. At the same time, the tariffs for the implementation of a hard block are approximately 5-10% lower than for the implementation of a soft block. In addition, with a contract for a rigid block, the operator and the agent fix the price for the entire charter period, which gives a good opportunity for the sellers to vary prices in the "high" period of the season and at the end of it.

The most common sale of seats for charter flights is a so-called combined method that combines elements of the two above-mentioned options. The total number of places included in the block being implemented is divided in a certain proportion into two parts: one of which is implemented according to the "hard" system, and the other - according to the "soft"

Often, not one, but several tour operators act as the initiator of the charter program. At the same time, they negotiate in advance the conditions for organizing flights.

Normal relations with airlines when renting an aircraft provide for payment according to the contract with the obligatory summing up of the balance after each flight.

Charter flights must not contradict the requirements of the Warsaw International Convention on the obligations of the carrier to the passenger

By signing an agreement on the organization of a charter, the airline almost always puts the tour operator in tough conditions. First of all, an advance payment is required from the company. Whatever its maximum size, the airline always insists that the first and last flights of the charter cycle be paid in advance. Thus, she insures herself and previously imported tourists from possible non-payments. Payment for flights is negotiated in advance and is made, as a rule, 7-10 days before the start of the flight. In case of late payment, according to the contract, the company has the right to impose penalties on the customer or to terminate the existing contractual relationship with him.

All air transportation rules in our country are governed by the Air Code of the Russian Federation of March 19, 1977, as well as by a number of international agreements. The main body coordinating air transportation in Russia is the Federal Air Transport Service (FSVT)

Currently, there are 315 airlines operating in the air transportation market in Russia. Of these, 96 are licensed to operate scheduled flights and carry 99% of the total volume of air passengers.

Transportation volumes are unevenly distributed among airlines Eighteen largest Russian airlines carry about 75% of passengers, and the planes of eight or nine "super giants" carry up to 50% Russian travelers... 94 airlines operating regular flights serve approximately 23% of passengers. And the remaining 276 airlines, which, as a rule, perform one-time flights, account for about 1% of passenger traffic.

Aeroflot remains the undisputed leader of the Russian aviation business. Aeroflot & nbsp Russian International Airlines is the national flag carrier of Russia. The company, as a rule, has more than twice as many clients than the second number - the production association "Domodedovo Airlines"

Recently, Russian airlines have begun to create aviation alliances. For example, in February 1998, two leading Russian airlines - Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines and Pulkovo - signed an agreement on a strategic aviation alliance. In the same year, Aeroflot signed cooperation agreements with Uzbekiston Havo Yullari and Armenian Airlines

At the end of 1997, the Russian airline Transaero and the Uzbek national carrier Uzbekiston Havo Iullari announced the consolidation and coordination of their activities in the air transportation market. The new aviation association was named "CIS-Alliance". Transaero also has code-sharing agreements with the Czech company CSA on the Moscow-Karlovy Vary line and with the Latvian Air Baltic on the Moscow-Riga line. In February 1999, Transaero and Krasnoyarsk Airlines signed an agreement on the joint operation of the routes Moscow - Krasnoyarsk, Moscow - Norilsk and Moscow - Krasnoyarsk - Vladivostok

11.3. Motor transport in tourism

Car services used in travel services include three main areas:

1) the organization of bus travel;
2) organization of travel by personal transport of tourists;
3) car rental

Bus travel. International bus tourism is a relatively young type of tourism. The beginning of its development can be attributed to the 70s. XX century. Prior to that, in different countries, buses were used mainly for transfers, excursions and local trips.

In 1986 in European countries, due to the intensification of competition between railway and bus companies, an association of bus carriers was created - the Eurolincs Council, which included 33 European partners. Bus companies acted under the same trademark, developed a common system of bus service for through tickets with common service standards, rules and a system of discounts. Today Eurolines is one of the leading companies on the market. It serves over 250 routes across Europe and includes 35 European bus companies. Since 1992, "Eurolines" began to operate in Eastern Europe.

The signing of the Schengen Agreement gave a new impetus to the development of bus transportation, allowing to simplify many formalities. In the 90s. the average annual growth of bus tourism averaged about 1.5%

The European Conference of Ministers of Transport (1984) identifies three types of bus tourism:

1) trips by regular buses;
2) travel by shuttle buses;
3) special (charter) flights

A separate group includes domestic tourism and trips during the day for various purposes (excursions during the day, airport shuttle services, etc.)

As an economic form of tourism accessible to the general public, bus tourism is constantly evolving. Until now, there is a tendency to growth in its volume. Priority is given to weekend bus tours - 2-3-day trips to European cities for excursion and educational purposes are quite popular. In second place in popularity - route tours lasting 1-2 weeks in European cities also with excursion and educational purposes

The seasonality when organizing bus tours does not play such a big role as in other trips. In fact, bus tours operate throughout the year. Some decline in demand is observed in January-February. During these two months, usually one bus is "busy" on one route

According to experts, despite the importance of the price aspect, competition in the bus tours market is observed in the field of a variety of routes and quality of service.

The opening of traffic on regular international routes is regulated by bilateral government agreements, and transit through third countries requires permission from the Transport Committee of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)

To simplify contracts for international carriage within the framework of the Geneva Convention of March 1, 1973, the Convention on the Treaty of International road transport passengers and luggage. Further simplifications of international transport are recorded in the Hague (1989) Declaration on Tourism and the Schengen Agreement for the members of the European Union.

Organization of tourist transportation within the framework of the CIS countries is regulated by the resolution of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS member states "On the basic principles of cooperation of the CIS member states in the field of tourism" dated October 29, 1994 and other acts

In accordance with the European Agreement on Non-Scheduled International Carriage of Passengers by Bus (ACOR), adopted in Dublin on May 26, 1982, a control document (trip lists) is used for non-scheduled international passenger traffic in the countries of Eastern and Western Europe, which must be on board the bus

In this regard, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation made a decision dated 07.02.97, No. LSH-6/60 “On the use of a unified set of trip sheets (control document with a number) on international non-scheduled passenger bus traffic between Russia and European countries: Belgium, Germany, Holland, Spain, Poland, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Yugoslavia "

In Europe, the legislation establishes safety requirements common to all when organizing bus tours.

There is a project to limit the speed of buses to 100 km / h. This should have a beneficial effect on the environment, but can drastically reduce the competitiveness of buses in relation to other modes of transport. Such restrictions have already been introduced in most Western European countries, as well as in some Eastern European countries (for example, in Croatia)

In the meantime, the tour operator organizing bus tours, when planning routes to European countries, must take into account speed and other restrictions that exist in different countries.

To make tourist trips to European countries, it is also necessary to obtain special insurance (in addition to medical) - the so-called green card (motor third party liability insurance in favor of third parties if the insured is guilty - International Motor Insurance Card)

In Europe, serious attention is paid to the condition of buses used for tourist transportation. So, in many countries, buses are prohibited on tourist routes if their service life exceeds 8 years. In accordance with European legislation, buses must also undergo a comprehensive technical inspection every six months. And although, by law, the customs officers of the European Union and Eastern European countries cannot check the state of road transport and the duration of the driver's stay, in case of great doubt they can resort to the help of the police and gendarmerie working at the customs point.

In accordance with the decisions of the European Convention on the Work of Crews of Vehicles, from April 24, 1995, all buses with more than 9 seats must be equipped with tachographs.

This requirement applies to all vehicles participating in international transportation, including Russian ones. If it is not fulfilled, the operation of the bus will be prohibited.

The tachograph is an on-board device for objective control and accounting of the operation of the vehicle and the driver. It automatically shows and records the driving speed, current time, mileage, various periods of work and rest of the driver. Records are made on personalized chart discs (tachograms) and give a complete picture of the driver's entire working day

The rights and obligations of the carrier and tourists are governed by the contract for carriage, contract for tourist services and a voucher

Bus travel can be organized on our own buses belonging to travel companies, as well as on rented buses owned by independent motor transport enterprises (ATP) of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation

As a rule, Russian companies work with rented buses. With such ATPs, the travel company concludes a special contract for the rental of a bus for tourist transportation.

Travel using personal transport of tourists
The organization of a package tour of a car trip includes the whole range of services, with the exception of transport. However, the travel company still provides special assistance in organizing the movement of tourists along the route on their cars. This is reflected in the specifics of the organization of car tours.

The most common trips for this type of travel are weekend trips. According to the types of tourism, the most popular auto tours are recreational (going out into nature or to places of rest) and educational (trips to historical or cultural monuments)

In a sense, the development of hotel infrastructure, in particular motels, is directly related to auto tourism. In developed countries, along traditional tourist routes, whole chains of small hotels and campgrounds have been built, focused primarily on serving tourists traveling by private cars.

The preparation process for a road trip includes:
- route development;
- development of a timetable;
- registration of route documentation.

A tourist will need the following documents on the road: a passport (when traveling abroad - a foreign passport with visas of the respective countries), a certificate for the right to drive a car (for foreign travel - an international standard), a technical passport for a car, a warning coupon, a power of attorney for the right to drive a car or an agreement about its rental (if the trip is not made on your own or a rental car), itinerary documents, service book, a notarized copy of the technical passport (if you plan to transport the car by rail), "green card", medical insurance (when traveling abroad). Data in the data sheet must be duplicated in English

As for a driver's license for foreign road trips, as well as for car rental abroad for Russian tourists, this issue is regulated by an international document in this area - the Convention on road traffic. Russian Federation is one of the contracting parties, therefore the documents issued on the territory of our country fully comply with the international model of the countries participating in the Convention

It is necessary to take out insurance for the car - in case of civil liability during road transport travel (accident). When traveling abroad, a so-called green card must be issued - insurance of motor vehicle liability in case of an accident (International Motor Insurance Card)

It is also necessary to insure the car itself. Insurance is provided in case of loss or damage to the car as a result of an accident, fire or natural disaster.

If several people (crews) are going on a multi-day trip, then it is advisable to determine the head of the autotravel. It should be the most authoritative and experienced driver. In this case, it is necessary to draw up a list of travel participants, which contains: surnames, first names, patronymics, dates of birth of car owners and all passengers, their home addresses, blood groups, brands and numbers of cars (by carriage). It is advisable to draw up such a list for one traveling crew (if the trip is abroad, then it is advisable to duplicate it in English)

Car rental. Car rental (or rent) is a very common and demanded service among tourists, especially on stationary and resort tours. In any tourist or resort center, there are many car rental offices - from large to smallest. The leading car rental company in the world is HERTZ. Competing with it "AVIS" in the mid-90s. was named by the English magazine "Institutional Investor" the best car rental company in the world

The car rental procedure is simple. The tourist is required to be at least 21 years old and not exceed 70 years old (in some UK firms - 25 and 75 years old, respectively). The employee of the rental company must show a passport and a driver's license (international). By the time the contract is concluded, the license must be valid for at least 2 years (in the UK - 1 year, and for drivers under 25 years of age, the required experience increases by 1 year)

In some countries, customer service is provided only with a credit card, in most countries, payment for services is carried out in cash, but a small deposit is required

The rent should include the following:
- unlimited mileage of the car;
- delivery of a car to a client within the city;
- repair or replacement of a car in the event of a technical malfunction, except for damage to tires and windshield;
- full insurance in case of an accident that occurred through no fault of the client;
- insurance that covers damage caused to the car in an accident through the fault of the client, in excess of a certain amount (but if at the time of the accident the driver was in a state of alcoholic intoxication, the insurance is not paid);
- insurance of passengers (except the driver) against accidents (the driver can insure himself for an additional fee);
- taxes

Usually the car is delivered with a full tank, but you also need to return it to the car rental office with a full tank.

Car rental at a holiday destination can be ordered even during the purchase of the tour in your agency, including it in the package of services. Many travel agencies offer this to their tourists, since ordering a car rental in your agency makes it easier for a tourist to read the rental agreement in a foreign language, guarantees the provision of high-quality and understandable services with an agreement for the purchase of the tour as a whole.

The scheme for ordering a car through a travel agency is as follows. Having received the corresponding order from its tourist, the travel agency requests the receiving tour operator by fax or directly to the car rental company. The request contains the name and surname of the tourist, rental period, car brand, place of delivery of the car to the tourist. The car rental company also faxes to the travel agency a voucher addressed to the client. After receiving the voucher, the money is transferred to pay for the car rental. At the holiday destination, a tourist, presenting a voucher, can get a car and use it at his own pleasure

And most importantly, before renting a car, you need to inquire about parking conditions and taxi prices. Perhaps a taxi ride will be more profitable both in terms of money and the nerves expended.

11.4. Rail travel

The railway is a convenient means of communication for transporting all categories of tourists, from individual tourists, large and small tourist groups on regular scheduled lines and charter trains, and ending with the organization of special tourist and excursion trains for local and long-distance communication

Railways have historically been actively involved in the development of the tourist movement

But still, a rather serious competition for rail transportation over short distances, as well as on excursion routes, is road transportation.

Currently, many companies that own railway lines (Vagon-Li, Akkor, etc.) are making great efforts to maintain and increase tourist passenger traffic. The main directions in this regard can be called:

Laying of high-speed lines (to speed up transportation);
- service in carriages according to the formula "Euro-Knight" (improvement of comfort to the hotel level);
- organization of special tourist trains, including "retro steam locomotives" (special thematic trips on railway transport)

Railway traffic is regulated by a whole package of national and international agreements, conventions and treaties

In Russia, there are: the Charter of Railways; Rules for the carriage of passengers and baggage by rail; departmental regulations published in periodicals; Rules of carriage and tariffs; Agreement on International Passenger Traffic; Uniform passenger fares; commercial reporting instructions; Rules for the carriage of military passengers, baggage and cargo; Rules for issuing free tickets for travel on railways and subways; Tariff guide; route and message indicators

The main body regulating railway transportation in the Russian Federation is the Ministry of Railways of the Russian Federation (MPS)

In the system of passenger transportation, trains are divided into regular trains, following a strictly established route, in a strictly observed time interval and traffic schedule, which, in turn, are subdivided into suburban, local and long-distance ones, and into off-trip (charter) ones, which are completed as necessary. transportation. This also applies to tourist trains.

Regular trains. Commuter trains follow fixed timetables within an oblast or province. The train usually accommodates up to 1,500 passengers, with up to 1,000 seats. Trains make frequent stops at local stations. The seats in the cars are unnumbered.

Local trains run between stations on the same railway (in Europe it can be within the same state). Typically, they ply a distance of up to 700 km and carry out transportation within a large region, region or small country - between villages and small towns. It happens that the difference between suburban and local trains is rather arbitrary and depends significantly on geographic characteristics locality and country as a whole. With the exception of high-speed routes, local trains make frequent stops - at almost all stations.

Long-distance trains travel over 700 km. They are divided into fast year-round calls, fast seasonal (summer), long-distance passenger round-the-year and seasonal calls.

Off-travel (charter) trains. These are registered trains specially appointed outside the regular schedule. Special trains often include tourist-excursion trains, which also operate outside the regular schedule according to specially laid routes for them and traffic schedules, drawn up taking into account the windows in regular schedule and excursion and tourist purposes. Off-route trains also include the so-called export trains - organized out of schedule during public holidays, national and international competitions and games, as well as for the export of equipment and people for harvesting, agricultural and other work.

Trains and carriages are also classified into different categories.

In the presence of a steady passenger flow, a scheduled route is assigned in a certain direction, on average, up to 17 cars; with a large flow, the number of cars per direction can be increased to 25. However, to service such trains, long platforms are required. If there are not enough passengers in the direction, one or more cars are installed, which at the junction station along the route are uncoupled from the main train and delivered to the destination by a local flight, which may consist of several cars

Planning of railway transportation - the appointment of regular routes, the introduction of additional routes, their cancellation, the formation of trailed cars in directions - a complex process that requires the preparation of forecasts of the formation of passenger traffic in certain directions. The needs of the population for travel depend on the seasonality, vacation period, weekends and national holidays, the beginning of the school year, school and student holidays. The rational use of rolling stock and the effective use of technical and fixed assets and the capacity of the road as a whole require reliable operational regulation and adjustment of the length of routes

The carriage of passengers and goods luggage, carried out on the territory of at least two countries on the same conditions and under one travel or carriage document, is called carriage in direct international passenger traffic (there are also so-called transfer and reloading messages when passengers change at border stations , and luggage and goods luggage are reloaded from the railroad cars of one country to the railroad cars of another country). Tourists are usually transported in wagons and trains of direct international direct connection

Conditions of carriage in international direct traffic are published and they apply equally on all roads that have signed the Agreement on international direct traffic.

Russia & nbsp is a great railway power. The presence of a dense network of railways, especially in the European part of the country, makes it possible to organize various routes of railway tours in terms of geographical location, form and content.

When organizing tourist routes by rail, it should be remembered that the railway network of our country is divided into several roads on a territorial basis. The European part of Russia is more developed, the Eastern part (Siberia and the Far East) is less developed,
Transportation of tourists by regular trains
Transportation of tourists by scheduled (regular) trains is carried out as ordinary passengers on railway tickets. With the exception of suburban trains, tickets are issued on special standard forms (forms)

A passenger, purchasing a ticket or travel document, commits an act of unconditional adherence to the rules for the carriage of passengers and their baggage, established on this road (tram, metro). Ticket stock - a form or form of a ticket, which may contain various columns on the change, confirmation of the ticket, as well as various stamps confirming its validity

The ticket generally indicates:

Carrier;
- departure station (departure city);
- destination station (arrival city);
- start date of travel, trip, transportation (DOT - Date of Travel);
- time of departure;
- train code and number;
- type and number of the carriage, passenger seat;
- the amount paid for the ticket;
- the name of the passenger (for long-distance trains);
- gender and passport number of the passenger (for international flights)

A feature of European rail transportation is that, unlike Russian tickets, they most often do not contain two familiar details: travel dates and seat numbers.

In addition to single tickets in Europe, various railway "passes" are widespread, giving the right to unlimited movement for some time and within a certain area.

Tariffs and fees. Railway passenger fares - the established fare for the travel of passengers, the carriage of goods and baggage

Basic rates:

Direct reserved seat - common passenger carriage (fare in a carriage with seats for a passenger train);
- surcharges for additionally provided services (for speed, for travel in wagons and trains of higher-paid categories, for baggage and cargo luggage)

The general passenger fare (direct reserved seat) is formed in such a way that the absolute cost of travel increases with an increase in the distance of travel, but with an increase in the distance, the cost of one passenger-kilometer decreases. This provides passengers traveling long distances with a significant discount in the cost of travel.

The speed surcharge takes into account that the cost of travel on a fast train is 10-12% higher, and the type of carriage is also taken into account (reserved seat, compartment 2-, 3-, 4-seater compartments, soft, etc.). The fare in Pullman (SV) and international class carriages is 40-45% higher. The fare for children between the ages of 5 and 10 is set at one quarter of the adult ticket price. However, this does not apply to the cost of a reserved seat

Special tourist trains
There is an established opinion that any railway trip, especially a long one, is tiring and unpleasant. It is even difficult to imagine that it can be not just a forced movement from one point to another, but a fascinating journey. However, this truth has long been realized by foreign travel agencies and operators offering specialized rail tours. Western experts have brought the technology of their implementation almost to perfection.

Standard rail tours can be roughly divided into three independent categories:

One-day;
- short (2-3 days);
- multi-day (from 5 days or more).

Day tours start in the morning and end in the evening of the same day. On the way, tourists sit at the tables of dining cars. On the way, they can not only have another snack, but also watch the performances of variety and circus artists. Tourists are taken to a specific station, where a special program is prepared for them. It can be a sightseeing trip or a picnic in nature. Most often, passengers have the opportunity to combine business with pleasure.

Short tours. During two to three day train tours, passengers are accommodated in separate compartments. The trips are traditionally designed so that at night, when everyone is asleep, the train is on the way. During the day, tourists are busy with all kinds of excursion activities.

Multi-day tours. The schedule of trains serving multi-day trips is very varied. Depending on the route and excursion program, tourists often travel during the day. As practice shows, so that travelers do not get tired, the tour train should go no more than a day and a half between two points non-stop. Long day trips are usually planned when interesting views and landscapes open up along the way. However, in some cases, it is assumed and short-term "green camp" directly in the forest or in the mountains, on the shore of the sea or a large lake

Tourist trains are commonly called "hotels on wheels". Indeed, despite the limited dimensions of the cars, their comfort and interior design many stationary hotels can envy. In each compartment, the total number of which is sleeping car usually no more than eight, no more than two people live. Depending on the category of the train, the compartments are equipped with two single beds (vertically or horizontally) or one double bed, air conditioning, a desk, telephone, TV. Toilet and shower rooms can be for the whole carriage or individually for one or two rooms. The tourist train also includes several restaurant cars, a saloon car (used as a library, a place for card games or negotiations, rest), a conference car (aka lecture hall, disco or video salon), as well as a "children's car" or "Hall of outdoor games"

Rail travel is a fairly popular form of recreation abroad. The most persistent fans of this type of tourism are the Germans, the British and the Swiss. Moreover, if the inhabitants of Great Britain and Switzerland prefer to travel to their countries, the Germans have traveled all over Europe and even reached Russia and America. Steam locomotive travel is considered a special chic among German tourists. And the most popular among all, without exception, lovers of railway tourism - "Orient Express" ("Orient Express"), stylized as the famous composition of the beginning
XX century

Today, tourist routes penetrate almost the entire ramified railway network of Western Europe. The motto of operators specializing in organizing rail tours: "We will go wherever there are rails."

In recent years, there has also been an increase in interest in rail tourism on the American continent, where three long-distance routes are in the lead: Trans-Canada (a ten-day journey from Vancouver to Montreal via Winnipeg and Ottawa); Trans America (12 days from Washington to Los Angeles via Charleston, New Orleans, San Antonio, El Paso, etc.); Trans Atlantic (from Managua to the southern tip of South America to Puerto Montt via Guayaquil, Lima and Santiago). Interestingly, in America these tourist trains are also called "Orient Express". In Norway, tourist routes are popular with the inspection of the largest and most beautiful fjords in the world from a special train.

There are railway routes in India and even in Indonesia. For tourists visiting Indonesia, a unique tour is offered - "Tour the Steam Locomotives in Indonesia" with a tour of the world's largest collection of operating locomotives and narrow carriages.
ruts

Tourist and sightseeing trains are appointed on the basis of an agreement concluded between the travel agency and the railway administration. The assignment of trains is made after the conclusion of the contract and payment of the due payments

The travel agency agrees with the road department (department) on the allocation of the train for a certain period. To do this, write a letter addressed to the head of the passenger service with a request for the allocation of such a train. On the letter, he agrees and indicates the specific timing of the selection of the composition

Traveling tour trains from one point of excursion service to another, as a rule, should be carried out at night with stops only for technical needs

After transferring the payments stipulated by the contract, but no later than 20 days before the train's departure, the administration of the train's departure route gives an address telegram to all administrations of the routes and copies to: a travel company organizing a tour; main departments of MGTS (passenger, traffic, medical); catering establishments

The telegram must contain a diagram and schedule of the train, indicating the time and points of transfer from road to road, the order and time of delivery of the train to the points of embarkation and registration, as well as points of additional supply of fuel and water along the route.

Changes to the approved schedule, as well as the route and time of departure are not allowed

When appointing a special tour train, it is assigned a name corresponding to the starting point (city) of departure ("Karaganda", "Moskvich", etc.), which is retained throughout the entire route. The stencil with the name of the train is fixed on the board or on the inside of the window opening

When concluding a contract, the railway management must list all payments due for transportation (rent, travel, etc.) no later than 20 days before the departure of the tour train

The tourist organization is issued two copies of the contract and two receipts of the GU-57 form (one for travel there and the second -for travel back), which indicate: the route of the train, stop points, the cost of one ticket, the total number of passengers and the amount received for travel

A copy of the contract for the rental of a tourist and excursion train with a mark of the railway on its receipt of all payments due and a receipt (form GU-57) are kept by the head (director) of the tourist route and presented during control along the route. After the end of the flight, the director of the route submits these documents to the accounting department of the tourist organization

No later than 6 hours before the train departure, a special commission consisting of representatives of the railway, a catering company, a sanitary-epidemiological service and a tourist organization that leases the train (director of the tour route and train doctor) carries out a commission acceptance of the train's readiness for the trip. The commission draws up an act of acceptance of the composition, which is transmitted to all interested services. If necessary, measures are taken to replace wagons, etc.

The carriages must display the timetable of the tour train, the names of the attendants on duty, the head of the train and the train electrician. In addition, each carriage must display: service program ("Tourist's Corner"); the names of the director of the tour train, instructors, doctor; their carriage number and seat; the number of the dining carriage in which tourists eat; shift number and meal time

11.5. Organization of boat trips

A motor-ship trip (cruise) is a tourist trip along a river or sea, usually with a call to ports, on board a special passenger vessel. Currently, dozens of cruise lines around the world operate hundreds of passenger ships with a capacity of 70 to over 1000 passengers and offer exciting trips to almost any region of the world.

In fact, a cruise is a sea tour, the base price of which includes a comprehensive service on board the ship, in particular: travel on board; accommodation in a cabin (depending on the selected class); Three meals a day; entertainment and, as a rule, a number of special events on board (holidays, festivals, competitions, concerts, etc.)

Cruises are one of the fastest growing sectors of the market. In 1998, more than 8 million tourists traveled on water, and by 2004, according to WTO forecasts, this figure will reach 11.5 million.

Water cruises are organized both on the seas, oceans, and on different rivers. The organization of sea and river cruises has a lot in common. However, in terms of vessel capacity, organizational features, service programs, as well as the location of the tours, there are a number of differences among sea and river cruises.

Sea cruises. Today, sea cruises in the world are experiencing a happy boom. The cruise fleet is growing, the designs of passenger ships are being improved, their comfort is increasing, new sea and ocean routes are being developed. The most popular boat trips are in the USA, Great Britain and Germany. Cruise ship demand is noted in France, Italy, Switzerland and other countries

Around the world, there are several dozen specialized cruise companies operating from 1-2 to 15-20 passenger ships. Most of cruise operators are united in a professional international association - Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). She coordinates the cruise business internationally

Many travel agencies, especially those specializing in vacations and cruises, are also members of this Association. CLIA unites about 33 travel agencies specializing in the sale of cruises and more than 20 thousand travel agencies involved in the sale of cruise trips. Although the CLIA is difficult to compare in function and influence to IATA, it is still an important international body dedicated to promoting the cruise industry to both tourist consumers and travel agencies. CLIA assists travel agencies with training, public relations and advertising. Thanks to the special training of travel agents and a skillful advertising campaign, CLIA has managed to turn sea cruises into a "classic" type of vacation. 95% of all cruises are sold through the travel agencies of the Association, and the sale of this tourism product is in second place after the sale of air tickets

In recent years, the image of the cruise as a tourist product has changed. The motor ship has turned into a floating hotel, where the atmosphere of entertainment and celebration reigns. Intensive advertising campaigns have increased the attractiveness of cruises among all segments of the population

Combined and "package" air-sea cruises with the inclusion of the entire range of services in the travel cost have been widely developed. At the same time, the cruise company organizes charter flights as part of the general journey, providing the tourist with the same level of service from the airport.

Duration of cruises. Experts believe that a one-week cruise is and will remain the main tourist product (about 40% of cruises are weekly trips). Shorter cruise tours are preferred by about 30% of the clientele. Cruises between 10 and 14 days attract just under 30%. Only 2-3% of clients take part in long cruises over 14 days (so-called round the world).

Types of cruises. In general, for the organization of cruise trips, the most common at the present period (up to 60% of cruises) is the classic European system, which provides for sea travel with calls to various ports with an excursion program

However, the American system also has its place in demand, the main purpose of which is to provide cruise passengers with the opportunity to relax and sunbathe on the beaches at the points of call along the route.

Recently, in almost all regions, “cruises to nowhere” are gaining popularity - one- and two-day trips without calling other ports. Typically, such a ship leaves the home port at 6 pm on Friday and returns on Sunday evening.

Main cruise areas:

1) Mediterranean Sea - from May to October;
2) Caribbean & nbsp winter months;
3) around Europe and Scandinavia - from mid-May to late August

The countries of Southeast Asia have made great efforts in recent years to become the fourth most popular cruise region. So, for example, Singapore wants to become the second Miami in its region: built expensive cruise sites attract Western cruise companies to base their fleet on them, to organize cruise routes.

Categories of cruise lines. According to the technical equipment and comfort of the fleet, the level of service on board, the size of the base rates and a number of other indicators, cruise companies are divided into four main categories:

Standard (they are usually designated ***), for example Dolphin cruise line;
- first class (****) - Costa Cruises, Norvegian cruise line;
- prestigious (*****) - Holland America line, Celebrity Cruises;
- super-luxury (******) _ Seabourn and others

A little apart from them are specialized maritime operators (for example, Club Med, Windstar, etc.)

There are about 60 operators on the world cruise market, of which 47 operate 1-3 ships each. However, many of them are subsidiaries of large cruise operators, created for the independent operation of individual ships in specific regions.

The largest cruise operators are American: Carnival Cruise Line Corporation (CCL), Royal Caribbean, and British P & amp O Cruises Divison.

Payment on ships depends on:

From the comfort of the vessel;
- the category of the cabin, which is determined depending on the basic and additional conditions of comfort.

Russian sea cruises. The history of Soviet sea tourism begins in 1957, when JSC "Intourist" began to carry out sea trips from Odessa to Leningrad around Europe on the leased passenger ships "Pobeda" and "Georgia", and on "Peter the Great" - along the Black Sea with tourists from socialist countries. In 1960, the first cruise with Soviet tourists on the Crimean-Caucasian line was organized on the "Admiral Nakhimov", and in 1962 on the motor ship "Grigory Ordzhonikidze" - in the Far East for 20 days with a call at Nakhodka, Olga Bay, Sovgavan, Kholmsk, Korsakov. During the same period, sea tourism began to develop in the North and Baltic

In the Soviet Union, the main base of the sea cruise fleet was the Black Sea Shipping Company (ChMP) in Odessa. Therefore, the collapse of the Union painfully affected the sea passenger fleet of Russia - the country was practically left without comfortable sea liners. And Ukraine, having inherited more than 40 cruise ships, does not use two-thirds of them today: some were sold or given on long-term foreign freight, some were written off or put on lockdown. The crisis of the Ukrainian economy did not pass by "ChMP-BLASCO" - a joint-stock company into which the former Black Sea Shipping Company was transformed. His current insolvency and astronomical debts have more than once become the reason for the arrest of ships, including cruise ships, in various ports of the world. Nevertheless, ChMP-BLASCO today continues to be the main charterer for cruise companies operating in the CIS tourism market. Of the most comfortable passenger ships available to our tourists, the Odessa Shipping Company has remained motor ships of the type "Belorussia" ("Ukraine", "Azerbaijan", "Georgia") and the type "Ivan Franko" ("Shota Rustaveli" and "Taras Shevchenko", which passed recently complete renovation)

The fact that most of the country's passenger fleet is based in Odessa determines the direction of the sea cruise routes on the Russian market. The most frequent offers are boat trips across the Mediterranean Sea, calling at the ports of Turkey (), Greece (Piraeus), Egypt (Port Said, Alexandria), Israel, Italy, Spain and other countries. Cruise tours across the Baltic and North Seas, starting from St. Petersburg or Kaliningrad and providing stops in the ports of Northern Europe and Scandinavia, are popular with Russian tourists. Especially popular among Russians is the traditional sea cruise around Europe (Odessa - St. Petersburg), which allows you to see almost all the leading countries of the "Old World" in one trip

But boat trips in the pools of the Indian and Pacific oceans, to the shores of the countries of Southeast Asia are a rarity for the domestic cruise business. Only the company "Primexpress" started organizing such cruises since 1994. And despite their unprofitableness, plans to continue to carry Russians to exotic countries

The terms of the sea cruises are very diverse and, depending on the direction of the routes, range from one week to one month. They can begin and end both in the same port, and in different ones, both in Russian or Ukrainian, and in any foreign ports.

Sea cruises are one of the most comfortable and therefore the most expensive types of recreation. The prices for Russian water trips are three times lower than the world prices due to the lower freight rate of ships and cheaper service. For this reason, competition in the domestic cruise market exists only between “own” travel agencies and almost nonexistent with foreign ones. Occupying a higher position, foreign cruise lines do not make special attempts to enter the Russian market. And even the opening in Russia of a representative office of the well-known Western travel agency "Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd", operating in many water basins of the world, does not create competition for our cruise operators.

The Russian sea passenger fleet is under the jurisdiction of the Azov, Baltic, Far Eastern, Caspian, Kamchatka, Murmansk, Northern, Sakhalin and Black Sea shipping companies, subordinate to the Russian Ministry of Transport. In addition to the ships of the named shipping companies, Russian travel companies and organizations lease ships in the Estonian and Danube (Ukraine) shipping companies, Ukrpassflot (Odessa)

The Federal Maritime Transport Service is in charge of sea transport in Russia.

Vessels for tourist purposes (cruises) are leased under a special agreement - a freight contract concluded between a tourist organization and a shipping company. Such an agreement includes:

Number and name of ships; number of seats by category;
- cruise routes and their dates;
- the number of bedding sets per voyage for each vessel and their cost;
- the cost of payment for each flight turnover;
- the total amount of payment for the transportation of tourists;
- responsibility of the parties

Obligatory annexes to the agreement are:

1) the timetable for the movement of the vessel, agreed with the tourist organization;
2) the plan-chart of the vessel, approved at the time of the conclusion of the contract;
3) calculation of the rental fee for the vessel by categories of cabins and elemental rates for each sea pool, taking into account seasonal discounts

Recently, some shipowners offer ships for bareboat charter - long-term lease and operation with all the resulting liability

The shipowner is obliged to comply with the established timetable for the movement of the vessel. Any changes and deviations in the ship's schedule in case of a delay in the arrival of the ship at the port and a reduction in the time of stay, the administration of the ship is obliged to notify the workers of the tourist cruise and tourists, to take measures to implement the tourist service program

River cruises. Unlike sea river cruises, they are less affected by the weather, more informative, since they have a coastal view, there is a great opportunity to use green parking lots.

Western Europe has a fairly long navigable waterway network. On its territory flow: Seine, Elbe, Danube, Rhine and other rivers. All of them are connected by a complex system of canals, which provides excellent opportunities for the growing popularity of river cruise travel. Germany holds the first place in river cruises, followed by Great Britain, Holland, Switzerland and Austria. The most popular routes are along the Rhine and its tributaries (Moselle, Main, Neckar, Weser). River cruises on the Danube through seven countries are in high demand in Europe

The most popular river cruise routes among foreign tourists pass primarily along the Rhine and Danube. In third place are the Russian rivers Volga and Don, their tributaries, lakes and canals. The demand for these routes fell after Chernobyl, the collapse of the USSR and due to the unstable situation in Russia and the CIS countries.

Nile cruises are usually part of larger tour or recreational programs. The same applies to the even more exotic Amazon, the St. Lawrence River and the Yangtze. Demand for cruises on French rivers and canals is growing

In the West, the demand for river cruises is increasing every year. Of particular interest are short-term cruises up to five days. This is due to the fact that most tourists prefer to grab a weekend during the trip so as not to miss out on work. During this time, tourists manage to visit many places, no matter how they never change hotels. River cruises are especially attractive for middle-aged and elderly people: unlike sea travel, the land is visible all the time, and seasickness is absent

Motor ships that carry out cruise programs on the rivers of Germany, Great Britain, France and Holland are single-deck and double-deck motor ships of special construction or, in some cases, converted self-propelled barges. Their peculiarity lies in the fact that they all have a low draft and superstructure. This is due to the fact that most of the routes run through narrow canals and motor ships are forced to pass under low sections of bridges and along shallow rivers. Accordingly, the capacity of such vessels is very small. However, the owners of motor ships try to decorate their vessel as comfortably and comfortably as possible, to supply it with the most necessary things. Among them there are both one-star ships and comfortable luxury motor ships

On ships that cruise along the rivers of Europe, shipowners are trying to increase the area of ​​restaurants, since due to the lack of space on some tourist ships, they have to have lunch and dinner in two shifts. This often causes displeasure among tourists, since the first shift feels limited in time, and the second has to wait a long time. Cruise leaders on this moment solved this issue by periodically changing shifts after a few days

This tourist product has certain difficulties in conquering a wide market. The main one is the high price. Nevertheless, this product is very well promoted in the European tourist market and the demand for it is growing from year to year. The main consumers of river cruises are elderly people who prefer coziness, comfort, full board, constant proximity to the coast, as well as interesting excursions to memorable places. The bulk of river cruise customers are Americans, French, Germans, Swiss, Dutch

River cruises are varied in length, route duration, theme. Typically, cruises from 7 to 15 days are offered. There are educational, sports, gastronomic cruises, wine-making, etc.

Sale river cruise goes directly when shipowners or tenant firms sell a tourist product through their own office or sell it through a network of specialized agencies, including through firms organizing tours and bus trips.

Russian river travel. The Russian Federation has unique opportunities for organizing river travel. Rivers, lakes and canals in the European part made it possible to connect the Baltic, White, Azov, Black and Caspian seas, and Moscow became a port of five seas. As you know, Russia has the largest network of rivers. The length of the exploited inland waterways is about 100 thousand km, of which more than 16 are artificially created canals and reservoirs. Convenient, efficient water transport highway connects the North-West, Central and South regions of the country

In & nbsp 1959 the Central Council for Tourism and Excursions of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions organized the first river route. During that navigation, 10 ships transported 12 thousand travelers. Currently, this figure is more than 1 million people. Almost 150 thousand km of the country's blue roads have now been mastered by tourists. They have 700 hydraulic structures, including 122 sluices. The operation of the river fleet in Russia is based on the territorial production principle. Passengers are transported by more than 60 enterprises - former shipping companies and ports, transformed into shipping companies and joint stock companies. The general management and coordination of the activities of the enterprises is carried out by the Rosrechflot Service of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation.

Currently, tourist transportation is carried out by ships of joint-stock companies and shipping companies: in the Central Basins & nbsp Moskovskoe river shipping company, Capital Shipping Company, Volga-Flot, Kamskaya Shipping Company, Doninturflot, Belomorsko-Onega Shipping Company, St. Petersburg Passenger Port; in the Eastern basins - Yenisei, Lenskoye and Amur Shipping Companies

Tourist transportation is carried out on 80 different routes with a duration of 3 to 20 days

The shipping companies of the Central and North-Western basins account for about 87% of all tourist traffic

According to the current practice, shipowners (former shipping companies) lease ships on charter to various travel companies, mainly Russian ones, which, having foreign partners, carry out the loading. As a rule, reputable travel agencies from year to year take the same motor ships, carry out their reconstruction and modernization. The following companies are known on the Russian market of river vessels: "Pallada" - cruises along the Volga and the Volga-Baltic canal; "Svarog" and some others

In previous navigation (90s), some Russian travel agencies chartered 3-4 or more highly comfortable ships, sometimes from several shipowners. For example, the cruise company "Orthodox" cooperates on JSC IC "Volga-Flot", LLC "Kama Shipping Company" and JSC "Donintur-Flot". The ships are loaded by foreign companies: OdesoAmerika Cruise Company (USA), Phoenix (Germany), Transtu-ro (France). The firm "Vis-cruise" cooperates with JSC IC "Volga-Flot" and JSC "Doninturflot" (France). Firm "Pallada" has a load from "Olympia Reisen" (Germany). Yenisei River Shipping Company for loading the motor ship “A. Chekhov "works directly with the firm" Mittel-Thurgau "(Switzerland)

The number of foreign companies wishing to send their compatriots on vacation along the rivers of Russia increases from year to year.

The conclusion of contracts between shipping companies and tourist organizations usually ends before December 30 of the year preceding the service. The contract can be concluded for a period of one to three years. Timetables (schedules) for the movement of tourist ships within the boundaries of one shipping company are developed and approved by it in agreement with the interested tourist organization before December 1 of the pre-planned year. At the same time, timetables are developed for lines (routes) passing through adjacent basins, but they are approved by the Ministry of River Fleet

After signing the agreements, tourist organizations have the right to start selling vouchers for cruise flights. Vouchers serve as the basis for tourists to occupy the places indicated in them on the ship, receive sets of bed linen (one set for up to 10 days), an established diet and cultural and excursion services

After drawing up the schedules, the charterer receives a schedule of the ship's route, on the basis of which he draws up an excursion service scheme. At this stage, together with tourist bureaus located in the cities of the ship's route, excursion and entertainment programs, attractions that should be included in the cruise program are negotiated. There is an advance order of tickets and guides in museums and historical complexes along the route and according to the excursion program. Comfortable buses are rented in advance for transfers from the airport and back (for international tourists)

Before the start of navigation, representatives of the shipping company and travel agency with the participation of the captain of the ship, the director of the ship's restaurant and the head of the cruise accept the ship as a commission - they inspect the ship's passenger premises and equipment in order to determine their readiness for the carriage of tourists, about which they draw up a corresponding act. Vessels at the starting points of the voyage are served for boarding on tourist lines 2 hours before departure

The shipping company and the travel agency are working out the general daily routine before the start of the tour. Compliance with the established internal regulations on the ship is mandatory for all tourists and service personnel. Tourists are checked in by the head of the cruise prior to boarding the ship indoors. river station provided by the shipping company (port). When selling a tour, the tourist is notified of the end of registration (boarding) 30 minutes before the departure of the vessel.

When serving tourists on motor ship tours, the following are involved:

The crew of the ship;
- employees of ship restaurants;
- cruise tourist brigade

Cruise ship workers, as a rule, are freelancers, are hired in such a way that they can complete the necessary preparatory work before the ship leaves for the voyage. Cruise managers are usually recruited 20 days before the start of the season or individual cruise; instructors-methodologists - 10 days; animators, music workers and others - 5 days before the start of the season or a separate cruise itinerary.

Excursion and pleasure flights. Sightseeing reps include trips of excursionists made on river ships in order to get acquainted with memorable, historical and other attractions lasting no more than 24 hours

Pleasure flights include transportation of groups of tourists, made for a short time for the purpose of recreation and acquaintance with memorable historical and other places of interest, carried out, as a rule, between two posts with calls and stops at them or without calls and stops. These flights can be more or less 24 hours in duration

Voyages lasting less than 24 hours are usually operated by ships of the port fleet and are carried out in suburban and intracity areas.