ATOR Vice President Romashkin named the cost of a vacation in May: Turkey, Thailand, UAE

Russians vote with rubles for Russian tourist destinations. During the May holidays, only 10% of travelers will go on vacation to other countries, the rest will remain in their home country. What is causing this trend? First of all, foreign routes are more expensive. However, on the eve of the May holidays and summer months, prices for tourist services always rise. What destinations are in demand among Russians and how to save money on vacation this spring? Vice President of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) Sergei Romashkin told MK about this.

– What do the top five most popular domestic destinations look like for the May holidays?

– She has been stable for many years. In first place is the Krasnodar Territory. Next is the Moscow region, but this is mainly for Moscow residents. For other regions, hotels and holiday homes located near their place of residence will be in second place in popularity, respectively. In third place is St. Petersburg as an excursion destination. In fourth place is Moscow as an excursion destination. Well, in fifth place is the Caucasian Mineral Waters region, namely Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk.

– Has the price of the tour changed?

– Yes, prices have increased. On average, the increase was 10-15% per year, depending on the region. In absolute numbers, this change depends on where exactly you are going. A trip to the Moscow region is usually short (3-4 days) and is for residents of the capital without an expensive road. Here you can spend 25 thousand per person. It is in a good location, with an animation program, a swimming pool and an all-inclusive system. If you are traveling to Kislovodsk, then the minimum duration of vacation is 9 days so that you can get at least some kind of medical program. Plus a flight to Mineralnye Vody. The average bill will be about 70 thousand per person. Yes, it turns out to be more expensive than in the Moscow region, but such a vacation takes longer. People most often travel to the Krasnodar region for about 5-6 days. More than half of the tourists will arrive by car, for example, to Anapa, Gelendzhik, Tuapse, where the airports are closed. A vacation here will be cheaper than in Sochi, where planes fly. On average, 5 days in a 3-4 star hotel will cost 17 thousand per person plus travel. Flights during the May holidays will cost 20-22 thousand rubles. It turns out that the total cost will be about 40 thousand per person. But if you go by car, it will be much cheaper.

– And if we consider tours abroad, where will Russians go in May?

– The top three in foreign destinations begins with the permanent leader – Turkey. No one can compete with her primacy. The second place in popularity is the UAE, and the third is Thailand. But you need to understand that tourists go there for at least 8-9 days. This is a slightly different type of holiday. Well, the prices are correspondingly higher. A room in a 4-5-star hotel for a week will cost about 75 thousand per person with a flight Moscow-Antalya-Moscow. The UAE will cost more, around 85 thousand rubles. Thailand – 70-75 thousand for a week, but the flight there is very long and expensive.

– How many Russians are considering traveling to other countries?

– The ratio of domestic and outbound tourism for the May holidays is ten to one. That is, 10% of tourists will go on vacation to other countries, 90% will travel around Russia.

– Is there a lot of demand for May tours?

– So far, according to our data, sales of tours for May are inactive. The March weekend has just ended. Tourists need time to stock up on money again. We expect peak sales by the end of March or beginning of April. A month before the start of the May holidays, travelers will begin to actively book trips. They have not yet recovered from the financial “blow” of the March holidays.

– When planning a vacation in May, is it better to buy tours in advance or at the last minute?

– Tour operators are very careful when planning their programs. The task is not even to earn money, but to not lose what you have. The most significant factor that affects prices is the exchange rate. If a tourist is unlucky enough to buy a ticket when the ruble weakens, he will receive a more expensive ticket. We are not expecting any last-minute tours either in Russia or in other destinations. The times when tourists could “catch” a tour to Cyprus for 100 euros are gone. There really are no such offers. At the same time, if the ruble strengthens, trips will become cheaper.

– Last year, Türkiye objectively went too far with prices. What do we have now?

“There is a collision of two opposing trends here. The base currency for Russian agreements with the Turkish side is the euro. The Turks reduced prices in euros by 5-10% compared to last year, but during this time the ruble has weakened more. Therefore, tourists who pay in rubles will not notice any positive dynamics. Last year, Turkey really went too far with prices, but you have to understand: Russian tourists are not the only ones there. The largest source of tourists for them is Germany. If tours sell well for German tourists, then the Turks will not have the task and goal of lowering prices for travelers from Russia.

– Are our tourists considering Egypt as an option for a May holiday?

– Egypt is an interesting destination and before Covid it competed in terms of the volume of tourist flows from Russia with Turkey, but now the situation has changed. The conflict between Israel and Palestine has negatively impacted the flight programs of many airlines. It also seemed to us that the Egyptian side is not entirely sure that it really needs Russian tourists. At first, the “country of pyramids” offered our travelers low prices, then they began to raise them. Now this destination is hardly among the top ten popular destinations for outbound tourism among Russians.