Russia Revealed, a leading tour operator to Russia has announced that it
will allow agents to offer their customers free visas, to further open up
the increasingly in-vogue destination.
Agents booking breaks to Russia with the operator that combine flights and
accommodation will be able to offer their customers a 28-day tourist visa
for free.

The offer, which lasts from 1 November 2003 to the end of January 2004,
comes as the operator witnesses a boom in demand for its destination from
independent travellers keen to discover new city break destinations beyond
the traditional jewels of western Europe.

Russia Revealed’s offer will dramatically reduce the time agents spend
selling holidays to Russia, and so help them to maximise business from the
destination.

The offer sees Russia Revealed take care of the entire visa procurement
process on behalf of the customer. Other operators either sell visas for up
to £110, or request customers to queue outside the Russian Embassy to obtain
the requested documentation1.

Over 300 agents nationwide currently book tours through Russia Revealed,
including The Flight Centre and Carrick Travel.

Julie Savill, international travel consultant of The Flight Centre, said:
“Booking visas to Russia can be both costly and time consuming. Russia
Revealed’s free visas offer will enable us to offer our customers far more
for their money and make Russia an even more attractive destination. Even
without the offer, Russia Revealed is opening up the market with
competitively priced breaks.” Jim Ward, director of Russia Revealed, said:
“As more and more UK consumers demand exciting and different travel
experiences, Russia is becoming an increasingly popular destination. We’re
offering free visas to help meet the rise in demand we’ve witnessed this
year.

“Agents can now offer a new, exciting experience to travellers, safe in the
knowledge that their customers’ arrangements are taken care of.

“We expect this landmark offer will further stimulate the boom in travel to
Russia, and so help agents build a strong new business line at a time when
other sales channels are proving more problematic.”

Russia Revealed’s programme combines flights from six carriers,
accommodation at over 40 hotels, city breaks, tours and sightseeing
excursions. Agents can create packaged or tailor-made holidays for their
customers to all the company’s destinations, including travel deeper into
the heart of Eastern Europe.

The operator was launched in 2001 to meet agent’s increasing demand for
supported travel to Russia and Eastern Europe. Russia Revealed’s three top
selling destinations are St. Petersburg, Moscow, and a twin-centre trip
combining both cities. The company is one of the leading tailor-made holiday
operators to Russia, the Baltic States, Finland and Ukraine.

Agents can book with Russia Revealed by phone (0870 366 7959), or online
through the company’s website (www.russiarevealed.co.uk). Russian Revealed
is IATA bonded and ATOL bonded with the CAA.
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