A couple of years ago, tulip field tours became popular in Belarus. Many people traveled to a private farming enterprise "Znahodka Palessya" (Polesie's Find) near Pinsk to take photos. But this year something went wrong, Onlíner reports .
What tourists saw in the tulip fields
Agronomists wrote that flowering would begin approximately on April 23.
Already on the 24th, the first tourists who bought a program from the company "Anita Bai" were on the fields. As reported by the travel agency, the disappointed people saw only greenery, through which only occasionally buds were breaking through.
An emotional reel about this was published by representatives of "Anita Bai" themselves. According to them, "Znahodka Palessya" did not warn the tour organizers that the tulips had not yet bloomed.
— We have been cooperating with this greenhouse farm for several years. Every year they kept us informed about the tulip flowering times. If there were any adjustments, we incorporated them into our plans, as bookings for all groups are made in January. Unfortunately, this year there was no information from the farm that due to bad weather, flowering would be later. We departed according to schedule, they were also expecting us, and issued an invoice for prepayment. Upon arrival, tourists began to complain: the flowers hadn't opened. The farm's representative said that it was our decision to go to them. In short, they shifted all responsibility to us, — Anna Slazhanikina, deputy director of "Anita Bai", explained in a conversation with Onlíner.
According to Anna, the tour agency managers were constantly in touch with "Znahodka Palessya". They inquired if anything was blooming, even the day before departure, April 23.
— Why didn't you ask the farm for photos and videos to be absolutely sure that the tulips were already beautifully blooming?
— Since we have been working with them not for the first season, everything was somehow organized based on trust. We remembered how people worked last year and the year before. Such questions never arose.
About ten tours, including visits to tulip fields, were planned for the next two weeks at "Anita Bai". The nearest ones have already been canceled; tourists are currently offered to wait until everything is 100% as in the pictures. And what about compensation for those who were left without beautiful photos?
— We will refund the full cost of the tour, 150 rubles, to yesterday's group. We will cover all travel expenses, — Anna Slazhanikina replied.
Onlíner also contacted the head of "Znahodka Palessya", Roman Shpak, who has his own version of what happened. According to him, this particular tour operator greatly exaggerated expectations for himself and his clients. All other visitors to the fields were completely satisfied with the view they saw.
— We grow both early and late varieties of tulips. It has never happened that they bloomed simultaneously. And because this tour operator promised his tourists "endless fields of tulips," they might have been dissatisfied. Right now, tourists are visiting us, I've already asked employees to collect feedback. So far, there has been no negativity. Yesterday, besides the "Anita Bai" group, other people also came, everyone was delighted with the location and the photo zones. This tour operator probably just had a commotion with their tourists, and now they are trying to shift the blame onto us.
Fresh photo of tulips sent by Roman
Roman says that the farm maintains communication with all partner travel agencies. Yes, in its social networks, "Znahodka Palessya" uses last year's videos and photos of tulips to attract attention, but tour organizers always see the real picture. They then make the decision whether to go or not.
— The fact that "Anita Bai" managers simply called employees and did not ask for photos and videos is their oversight. All other tour operators request [photos and videos]. There are also more responsible guys who send working groups to see everything with their own eyes. But, I repeat, the fields never bloom completely; it's impossible on 120 hectares.
Yesterday I went into the bus and told all the "Anita Bai" tourists that if they didn't like the excursion, I was ready to refund their money (though I hadn't even received it myself yet). I am also ready to invite them any other day and conduct an excursion if something was not satisfactory this time. It seemed to me that opinions on the bus were divided "50-50". I tried to smooth over what wasn't even my conflict with the tourists, but it still turned out the way it did.
— When can we expect fields like in last year's photos?
— This is nature; you can't say for sure. You have to catch the moment. Now the early varieties have bloomed, the late ones have not yet. By the way, last year's beautiful pictures, which are currently being published, were taken by tourists in exactly the same conditions. From a certain angle, it looks exactly like that, but if you turn slightly to the side, it will be different. Currently, tourists with photographers are coming privately — the photos turn out excellent.
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