Tour operators told Izvestia where Russian tourists are planning to spend their winter holidays.
Egypt is the absolute leader among the destinations for New Year’s travel. On Tuesday, November 9, charters from Russia will leave for this country – for the first time since 2015.
“Egypt accounts for 35% of all New Year’s bookings. Turkey and the United Arab Emirates follow with 20% each. Behind them – the Maldives with a share of 15%, “- noted in Tez Tour.
Clients of Intourist and Tui Russia have similar preferences. Egypt became the undisputed leader in New Year’s demand for Intourist, second place for Turkish Antalya and excursion tours to Istanbul and Cappadocia, third for Russian destinations. The UAE is less in demand, as well as exotic and distant Dominican Republic, Cuba and the Maldives.
Tui also topped Egypt’s sales ranking with a 29% share. It was followed by Turkey – 27%, the UAE and Russia – 16% each, Bulgaria, Maldives and Cuba – 2% each, as well as Hungary, Abkhazia, Cyprus, Serbia – less than 1% each.
“The rates of booking tours in the Russian Federation are now lagging behind by about 24% compared to the same period last year. At the same time, there was a redistribution of demand: for example, those wishing to celebrate the New Year in St. Petersburg increased by 33%, and winter Sochi sank by 14%. But as the ski season approaches, it quickly regains its position, ”said Intourist.
In Krasnaya Polyana hotels, 60% of places have already been booked, and Elbrus is also popular, Yuri Barzykin, vice president of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RST), told Izvestia.
Tui also noticed that Sochi is in the lead among tourists by a huge margin – this resort accounts for 43% of New Year’s sales of tours in Russia. Next in popularity are the ancestral lands of Santa Claus Veliky Ustyug and the Sheregesh ski resort – 17% each.
Read more in the exclusive material from Izvestia:
Tour eye: demand for travel during the New Year holidays has grown up to 10 times