Malév Welcomes Opening Of Hungarian Consulate In Ekaterinburg

Speaking at the ceremony Péter Leonov, Malév chief executive officer, stressed, "The opening of the consulate general represents a turning point in the history of the Budapest–Ekaterinburg flight because it makes it very much easier for residents of the region to travel to Hungary and Europe, considering that it will be possible to travel to all the Schengen countries with the visa issued at the consulate general. In addition, we will be paying even greater attention to local market demand in our summer timetable, and providing better connections to several cities in Europe."

Consul general Pál Fábián said, "There is great need for the Hungarian consulate general in order to assert the many Hungarian interests in the region, and it is equally important for the development of economic, tourism and cultural relations that Malév operates a direct flight between the Hungarian capital and the Urals region. I am delighted to see that over the past few months there has been a noticeable increase in interest in Hungary and Budapest as a tourism destination. Russian travellers are rediscovering Hungarian gastronomy, hospitality and, increasingly, its healing waters."

In its nine months of operation since opening in April 2007 the flight's load factor has doubled, and by the middle of January it exceeded 50%. This trend is clear evidence that the primarily Russian travelling public are increasingly willing to take advantage of the opportunities offered by Malév. The airline sells around 90% of tickets for the flight in Russia, 80% of passengers travel between Budapest and Ekaterinburg, and the proportion of those flying on to Western Europe via the Malév network is approximately 20%. Last year the most popular onward destinations were Paris, Varna, Podgorica and cities in Germany.

Malév and Danubius Hotel Group are currently running a joint marketing campaign titled Wellness Flight in Ekaterinburg. The package comprising the airfare and a six-nights-plus-one-free deal in a Danubius hotel in Hévíz offers an excellent opportunity for local residents to enjoy the thermal waters and hospitality of Hungary.

Ekaterinburg

Ekaterinburg is Russia's fourth largest city and one of the most important industrial centres in Central Russia. The city was named after Empress Catherine I. Russia's coinage was minted here from 1725 until the October Revolution. The city is perhaps best known as the place where the Bolsheviks executed Nicholas II, the last Russian tsar of the Romanov dynasty, together with his entire family, 89 years ago. Ekaterinburg is also famous for being sited on the border of two continents, Europe and Asia.

Ekaterinburg is an important transport hub. The international airport of Koltsovo was opened to civil aviation in 1943. The city is one of the stops on the famed Trans-Siberian railway; seven main lines depart from its central rail station to the cities of Perm, Kazan, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan, Tyumeny, Tavdu and Nizhny Tagil."
 
Source: Malév.hu