Russian Tourism to Double if Aeroflot Connects with Mexico

Russian tourism in Mexico could double both in influx and economic income if PSJC Aeroflot – Russian Airlines come to Cancun and Ciudad de Mexico, said Miguel Torruco Marqués, Minister of Tourism.

“The airline’s president (Mikhail Poluboyarinov) opened up the possibility of Aeroflot regularly flying to Cancun and Mexico City,” posted Torruco on his Twitter. Aeroflot is planning to operate the new Moscow-Cancun route with seven flights per week, reported Aviacionline.

Aeroflot is not the only Russian airline interested in connecting with Mexico and the Latin American market. Royal Air and Nordwind Airlines are also making efforts to fly in a weekly basis to Mexico. The three airlines have already filed permission with Rosaviatsiya, Russia’s civil aviation authority, to operate new routes to Mexico, according to recent reports by several media outlets.

Russia is currently connected with Cancun by Azur Air. Torruco explained that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020, 23,109 Russian tourists visited Quintana Roo’s touristic spot, spending US$22.9 million. In 1H2021, 14,566 Russians visited Cancun, spending US$15.7 million. For the period between September 1 and October 31, 2021, the Official Airline Guide informed that Azur Air has 18 Moscow-Cancun flights scheduled, with a 7,704-seat offer, which would mean US$8.7 million in revenue.

In 2020, Azur Air occupied the 10th place in passengers transported to Cancun between the main European Airlines, just behind Air France, Tui Airways, British Airways, Lufthansa, Air Europa, Edelweiss, Tui Belgium, Tuifly Nordic and Evelop Airlines. German Airline Lufthansa transported 26,793 passengers, Air France 21,545 and Azur Air 4,635, said Torruco.

Royal Flight, based in the city of Abakan, aims to open four different routes to Cancun, in order to operate from Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Perm and Samara, with two flights a week from each city. Finally, Norwind Airlines aims to open three routes to Cancun, connecting it with Rostov Platov, Saint Petersburg and Kazan, according to SimpleFlying.

Latin America, Russian Airlines’ Target

Cancun may be one of the Russian tourists’ favorite destinations in Latin America, but not the only one. Azur Air, which already flies to Mexico, Dominican Republic and Cuba, aims to open four routes to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from Moscow, Kazan, Saint Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, and two more to Caracas and Porlamar, Venezuela, according to local media reports.

Azur Air will operate its Moscow-Rio route twice a week, while the other cities will only have one weekly flight. This airline offers up to 65 monthly flights between Russia and Latin America, with 21,125 seats available, according to the Official Airline Guide.