Irkutsk region plans to actively develop international air service from Irkutsk and is considering resuming the Irkutsk Munich route. At a meeting with Munich airport representative, route profitability, past marketing mistakes, and the need for serious research before launching the tourist product were discussed. The Irkutsk airport also plans to create a technical center for servicing international flights, and regional authorities promise to change their approach to tourism and transport infrastructure development.

The Government of the Irkutsk Region intends to promote the development of international air service from Irkutsk. A technical center for servicing international flights is planned to be established at the airport of the regional center, and Rostec Group is currently working in this direction. This was announced today by the Governor of the Irkutsk Region, Sergei Eroshchenko, during a meeting with the Munich Airport President’s advisor on aviation marketing, Gerald Appelt.
The meeting discussed the issue of restoring regular air service between Irkutsk and Munich and its economic efficiency. As a reminder, the flight was launched in April 2011, and since October 2011 to the present, the air carrier — Yakutia Airlines — has suspended flights on this route.
During the meeting, Gerald Appelt pointed out shortcomings in the previous marketing approach. Munich Airport is working to find a tour operator that could take on the development of a tourism product.
- Air service between the cities of Irkutsk and Munich has great potential both for the development of tourism on both sides and in terms of economic ties, - Gerald Appelt noted.
During the discussion of the prospects for resuming the Irkutsk-Munich flight, the Governor stated that the main condition for creating a tourism product is serious marketing research, after which the flight frequency and pricing policy should be determined.
Sergei Eroshchenko emphasized that the Government of the Irkutsk Region intends to radically change approaches to the development of tourism in the region.
- One of the main approaches will be based on the development of transport hubs, infrastructure, and the preservation of cultural heritage. The territory should be represented by tour operators that have proven themselves well in the field of providing tourism products. The coordinator of this work will be the Ministry of Economic Development and Industry of the region, which has been granted authority to oversee the tourism sector, - the Governor noted.
The head of the region also stated that VEB Capital is preparing a concept for the development of the Siberian aviation hub with a proposed center in Irkutsk.
Based on materials from the press service of the Governor of the Irkutsk Region and the Government of the Irkutsk Region