11 January 2016
MEDIA RELEASE
AUSTRALIA’S UKRAINIAN COMMUNITY DEPLORES GATEWAY TRAVEL’S PLANS FOR TOUR PACKAGES TO CRIMEA
Australian tour operator, Gateway Travel has announced that it will launch package tours to Crimea in 2016 despite the Ukrainian peninsula being under Russian occupation since early 2014.
Itineraries include passage to and sightseeing in Simferopol, Yalta and Sevastapol. The company’s communications do not make any reference to the area’s current state of occupation.
The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisation’s Chairman, Mr Stefan Romaniw said “Selling out to those who have little regard for Australian values, who stand accused of shooting down MH17 and supporting those who invaded Crimea goes against the grain of Australian sentiment at this time”
”The international community has condemned Russian aggression in Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea, and has increased sanctions against the perpetrators and here we have tours being organised to the region.” Mr Romaniw said
“This announcement flies in the face of the Australian and other governments’ position on Crimea” Mr Romaniw said.
Australia announced sanctions against Russia in March 2014 following its annexation of Crimea. Sanctions were expanded in September 2014 and again in March 2015 in response to Russia’s ongoing threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Travel advice for Australians travelling to Crimea, issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, remains as ‘Do Not Travel’ which it has advised since Crimea’s annexation by Russia almost two years ago.
The government’s Smart Traveller site states that ‘regular travel insurance policies will be void and that the Australian Government is unlikely to be able to provide consular assistance.’
The AFUO will raise this issue with the Australian Government and Gateway Travel.
http://search.smartraveller.gov.au/s/search.html?query=Crimea+&collection=dfat&form=st&profile=smartraveller [January 11, 2016 – Initial and unchanged advice July 20, 2015]
FOR MORE INFORMATION: STEFAN ROMANIW 0419 531 255
