Cancellation of Mir does not affect Russian tourist entry to Turkey

Elif KARACA

Noting that the acceptance of Mir cards is an additional comfort factor for Russian tourists and a good source of income for Turkish retailers, Lomidze believes that even if all Turkish banks issue Mir cards, it will have little impact.

Stating that the use of Mir in Turkey is not a factor directly related to the number of tourists, and that the only losers will be Turkish banks and retailers that do not accept Mir, Lomidze underlines that such a situation will not cause holiday cancellations and the current payment options.

Maya Lomidze, President of the Russian Association of Tour Operators, said that the acceptance of Mir cards is an additional comfort factor for Russian tourists and a good source of income for Turkish retailers, but not a factor directly related to the number of tourists.

Lomidze stated that if all Turkish banks leave a Mir card, it will have no or little effect. and retailers, he said. Lomidze, who stated that most of the Russian tourists staying in all-inclusive hotels in Antalya never left their hotels, added that some of them and the Russian tourists in Istanbul. euro He added that they can use cash or USD in cash, exchange rubles and receive TL, and use China Union Pay cards issued by Russian banks. Answering the questions of the WORLD, Lomidze stated that there are Visa and MasterCard cards issued by foreign banks for Russian citizens, and that some Turkish banks also do this.

* How much did the Mir system contribute to the number of visitors from Russia to Turkey?

The acceptance of Mir cards is not a factor directly related to the number of tourists going to these countries. For example, we see the highest tourist demand for vacation trips to countries like UAE, Egypt, Maldives, Seychelles, Thailand – but in these countries Mir cards were never in use. Acceptance of Mir cards is an added convenience factor for Russian tourists and a good source of income for sellers in Turkey.

* In the Mir application, how will visits from Russia to Turkey be affected if Turkish banks leave Mir?

If Turkish banks issue a Mir card, it will have little or no effect. First, Russian tourists looking to vacation abroad have no better alternative than Turkey (hence no other country where Mir is widely accepted). Secondly, most of the Russian tourists in all inclusive hotels in Antalya never leave their hotel. Some of them and Russian tourists in Istanbul can use cash in euros or USD, exchange rubles and buy TL, and use China Union Pay cards issued by Russian banks. There is no reason why Russians should not buy or cancel a vacation in Turkey. The only losers would be Turkish banks and retailers who do not accept Russian cards. They lose the additional income they would earn from Russian tourists who would prefer sellers in Turkey who accept Mir.

* Are there any other tools that can be used as an alternative to Mir?

Yes. 1. Cash (during a visit to Turkey dollar, euros or rubles to liras) 2. Union Pay payment cards issued by Russian banks. 3. Visa and MasterCard cards issued by foreign banks for Russian citizens. Some Turkish banks also did this. The number of such cardholders is not huge, but almost all those who shop a lot already have them.

* Is it possible to give any statistics, figures or rates regarding the share of Mir cards in the total payments of Russian visitors in Turkey?

No, there are no such statistics, and I also consider it confidential information: you can no longer even find a list of countries where Mir cards are accepted on the website of the Mir system. As far as we know, Russian citizens have 129 million Mir cards, and the number of banks that issue Mir cards is over 100.