It became known where most Russians will celebrate the New Year

Large-scale research, traditionally carried out by the tourism industry on the eve of the New Year holidays, promises only losses this year: more than half of the surveyed compatriots reported that they would celebrate 2024 at home. Moreover, many do not plan even the shortest trips, directly stating the reason: we can’t afford it.

Analysts who conduct similar surveys annually cite “price recognition” as the main difference from last year’s results.

“Last year, many were also going to celebrate the New Year at home,” recalls Andrey, a marketer for a capital travel agency, responsible for summary statistics of opinions, “but a year ago people mentioned “traditions,” “home holidays” and all that. And in this they directly say: I would like to go to Thailand, but I can’t afford more than 600 thousand for three people. It is clear that during the New Year holidays, if family people go somewhere, it is with their family.

The fact that holidays for the New Year holidays have risen in price simply “fabulously” is also evidenced by statistics from travel agencies specializing in domestic tourism.

“Last year we even exceeded our New Year’s plan for Sochi, Crimea and Kaliningrad,” admits Alena, manager of a capital travel agency. – Ustyug and other places based on folk tales went well. And this year they didn’t go broke only thanks to prohibitively expensive trips to an elite sanatorium in Kislovodsk.

Let’s look at last year’s figures: indeed, on the eve of 2023, the average Russian went on New Year’s holidays already on December 28, and returned only on January 9-10. If you believe the statistics, 75-77% of compatriots with children traveled around Russia, and the rest chose Egypt and Thailand, where they can swim in the warm sea on New Year’s Day. In the same year, 53% of respondents who were away from home last New Year answered that they would celebrate this year at their place of residence.

“They stopped taking us to Egypt for the New Year,” says Svetlana, manager of the Middle East direction of a large Russian tour operator. – Because it is unsafe there due to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. If it had at least gotten cheaper, maybe someone would have decided.

– And where do those who, in principle, go somewhere, go?

– For our luxury partners, for example, everything has not changed much. That is, those who previously celebrated the New Year in the Maldives or Seychelles, where a week for two can reach up to a million rubles, are going there too. But the mass budget tourist who has lost Egypt may not go anywhere. Even Thailand sold less this year. And then mostly after January 10, when prices fall slightly.

– But you are the seller! Make your prices reasonable!

– Alas, the ruble exchange rate, the prices of the host country and air carriers, as well as the geopolitical situation, do not depend on us. But we cannot work at a loss. What do you want if a flight, say, from Moscow to Kazan on New Year’s holidays reaches 20 thousand rubles per person, and accommodation in a hotel in the city center costs up to 10 thousand per day? But you still need to eat something, go for a walk somewhere, it’s not all inclusive. And so on everywhere where it’s interesting: St. Petersburg, the Golden Ring, Kaliningrad, Minvody…

Let’s check: indeed, the average price of air tickets for domestic round-trip flights from December 25 to January 9 is 17.8 thousand rubles. Getting from the central part of the Russian Federation to Moscow costs on average 13.7 thousand rubles, to St. Petersburg – 16 thousand rubles, to Kaliningrad – 17.6 thousand rubles, to Sochi – 24 thousand rubles, to the Minvody – 22.5 thousand rubles. The average cost of air tickets to the UAE from the Russian Federation is 81.6 thousand rubles, to Turkey – 52.6 thousand rubles, to Egypt – 63.6 thousand rubles, to China – 71.6 thousand rubles.

The average cost of living in an average hotel in a Russian city for the New Year holidays is 9.2 thousand rubles. In Moscow, the number starts from 7.2 thousand rubles. per night, in St. Petersburg – 6.6 thousand rubles, in Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod – from 9.5 thousand rubles. One night during the New Year holidays in Sochi will cost 12.8 thousand rubles. For comparison: a night in a Thai hotel by the sea – 14 thousand rubles, in Italy – 16.5 thousand rubles, in Turkey – 17.8 thousand rubles. And one night in Dubai during the New Year holidays surpassed both Sochi and Thailand, only starting from 20 thousand rubles.

Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 29154 dated November 10, 2023

Newspaper headline:
I want to go to the sea, but I’ll meet you at home