Even Tula has become too expensive a city for New Year’s travel

It has become known where Russians will go for the autumn and winter holidays – statistics were provided by online booking services. Tours differ from last year not only in prices, which have increased significantly, but also in the predominance of domestic routes.

Having reviewed the already purchased tour packages, we found the most expensive and the most budget-friendly among them.

From what immediately catches your eye: among the domestic hits of the autumn-winter holiday, a certain Esto-Sadok appeared, which had not previously been included in the ratings. And for the first time in recent history, Minsk was among the top three most popular foreign routes.

“It’s just a matter of prices,” dispels the assumption that the tastes of Russian tourists have changed, Alena, a manager of a capital travel agency. – Esto-Sadok is a village belonging to the Krasnopolyansky settlement district of the Sochi municipality. At the same time, it is closer to the mountains and ski slopes, so it’s more “New Year’s”. That is, it’s kind of like Krasnaya Polyana, but noticeably cheaper. And Minsk is like a foreign country, but it doesn’t “bite” as much as the others.

According to data obtained from the analysis of booking services, the majority of Russians who have planned trips do not intend to leave Russia on the already approaching November holidays, which also fall on the school holidays (from October 27 to November 6). 14.4% of families with children who have already purchased vouchers will go to St. Petersburg and the surrounding area. In second place (14.2%) is Moscow, to which residents of the regions are heading. Adler (11.3%) and the same Esto-Sadok (7.0%) took bronze. The top ten also included Kazan (6.2%), Sochi (5.5%), Kaliningrad (3.4%), Pskov (1.7%), Nizhny Novgorod (1.6%) and Kislovodsk (1.5 %).

“A year ago, the leaders were Tula and Novgorod the Great, but this year they are not in the ranking at all,” commented the capital’s travel agency. – No miracles: these cities have established a tourist infrastructure – good hotels, a well-developed excursion program, etc. And they raised prices in anticipation of groups of visa-free foreigners such as the Chinese, Iranians and visitors from the Middle East. And for the average Russian, these cities have become too expensive.

If you believe the statistics, the geography of the winter holidays, “drawn” from already purchased or booked tours, is almost no different from the autumn one. Both capitals and their regions are in the lead, then the Krasnodar Territory and Sochi, Kazan, Kaliningrad, Kislovodsk, Zelenogradsk, Nizhny Novgorod and Sheregesh.

Regarding accommodation, families with children most often book five-day tours with accommodation in three-star hotels with breakfast for both the autumn and winter holidays. Next come apartments, guest houses and the private sector without any “star rating” at all (30.8%), 28.9% of families will stay in 4-star hotels, and 10% in five-star hotels.

Among foreign trips, the hit parade is headed by holidays and New Year in Istanbul (14.7%). Dubai is in 2nd place (5.3% of Russian families), and Minsk is in 3rd place for the first time (4.7%). In the winning countries, compatriots most often book 4-star hotels (33.3%), where the majority also plans to celebrate the New Year with a gala dinner offered by the hotel restaurant. Apartments, guest houses, hostels and the private sector abroad were chosen by 24.7% of Russians, and 22.7% will meet 2024 in 5 stars.

“Foreign holidays have become very expensive,” tour operators say. – The main reason is the fall of the ruble. A year ago, the dollar was worth 58 and a half rubles, and today it’s still 97. Because of prices, almost half as many Russians will celebrate the coming New Year abroad as a year ago.

– Which directions have risen in price the most? – I’m interested in a travel agency offering New Year’s tour packages.

“Thailand most of all, followed by the Emirates and Turkey,” answers manager Svetlana. – Egypt maintains reasonable prices, but Russians with children do not flock there because of the war in Israel.

The most expensive tour, including the New Year’s Eve, already purchased by Russians, is to the Maldives – almost 12 thousand dollars for two for a week in the “five”. Next is Phuket – about 500 thousand rubles for two for a week in the “four”, then Sri Lanka and the UAE – from 400 to 500 thousand rubles for two in the “three”.

“All these tours take place during the hottest week of December 30,” the travel agency explains. – But we shouldn’t expect any further reduction in price from them. In Thailand, the high season will just begin at the end of November, during which all Thai resorts traditionally become more expensive. The same applies to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and the Emirates has also only become more expensive since the beginning of December, when the sweltering heat subsides. Air tickets have already risen in price by 25% and will continue to rise in price. At the same time, Egypt for New Year’s week is only 290 thousand rubles for two in 5 stars, but the tours are not sold out.

According to experts, last year the Russians’ New Year’s hits looked completely different, among them were Barcelona, ​​Yerevan, Seoul, Milan and Paris, but now they are not even in the top ten. A year ago, Russians who bought New Year’s tours abroad in installments in October paid an average of 65 thousand rubles for them every month, and today – more than 135 thousand rubles. But a New Year’s route has appeared, which was not previously in the tops at all, but today it is the most budget-friendly (with the exception of the option of staying at home and watching the TV) – New Year’s Eve in the winter industrial Norilsk beyond the Arctic Circle, 50 thousand rubles for two for a week in a three-ruble ruble “, New Year’s party at a local bar is subject to additional charges.