Russians are changing their New Year’s habits: figures show a shift in priorities

Most citizens intend to spend the winter holidays at home

The majority of Russians who previously traveled during the winter holidays with their children and grandchildren will celebrate this New Year at home – this conclusion is prompted by not very joyful figures obtained in a study of the quality of summer holidays for Russians and the resulting attitude of compatriots to travel – both abroad and inside the country.

Having inquired about the numbers, we compared it with the experience of fellow citizens who have similar experience.

A study published by VTsIOM shows that 35% of our fellow citizens, which is 15% more than a year ago, did not take a vacation at all this summer. Why did every third respondent deny themselves a summer vacation?

“The summer of 2022 was enough for us,” Natalya from Moscow expresses the opinion of not only her family, but also her entire immediate circle – relatives, friends and colleagues. “That summer we suffered so much with two junior high school students that we sat quietly and peacefully at the dacha and don’t regret it. That is, the children stayed with their grandparents, and my husband and I worked and came for the weekend. They decided to take a vacation at the same time, coinciding with the children’s winter holidays. But we won’t go far. Maximum in St. Petersburg. Or we’ll just take a walk around New Year’s Moscow and go to museums and theaters. Everything is better than how in the summer of 22 we first got to Turkey for crazy money in the midst of forest fires, and then lived at the airport for another 2 days, the flight was constantly postponed. Then we went to Crimea in our car and got stuck in a three-day traffic jam in front of the bridge. They spat and turned around, losing the advance payment for housing, it’s good that they only gave a deposit. And they returned to the dacha. And we decided that from now on until the transport and economic situation stabilizes, we will rest on it. It’s not even the money that I feel sorry for, but the nerves, energy and time. And first of all, children, such adventures instead of relaxation are also not good for them.

VTsIOM analysts confirm: this is a popular decision among Russians; 26% of our compatriots accepted it and put it into practice by staying at their own dacha in the summer, even if, unlike Natalya and her husband, they went on vacation. And another 23% spent their vacation not even at the dacha, but at home.

“Fortunately, I have a hobby, but I always don’t have enough time to implement my plans,” says Oleg from Naro-Fominsk, a keen numismatist in his free time from office work. – Therefore, after looking at prices and three-story logistics, this summer I didn’t even go to my beloved Koktebel. I don’t have a dacha, so I stayed at home on vacation. And I didn’t regret a second. I have a forest right next to me, a five-minute walk. I wanted nature and went to a barbecue with friends. And so I spent the entire vacation quietly working on my collection. And suddenly I realized that I had never before received such satisfaction and pleasure from a vacation with these travel tickets! Who even came up with the idea that on vacation or a long weekend you absolutely have to go somewhere?!

The figures obtained by the researchers confirm: 81% of surveyed compatriots, which is 18 points more than even in the relatively cloudless pre-pandemic 2018, were satisfied with their vacation, even if they spent it at home. Those who were lucky enough to spend their vacation traveling without delays and cancellations of flights, sanctions and/or financial surprises, logistical inconsistencies and everything else that today turns our vacation into a difficult quest do not regret anything either. However, the majority of those who went on summer vacation by car (49% of respondents), by train (37%) and by air (26%) intend to celebrate the New Year at home, as Russian tradition dictates. But not because of her, but because of flight delays, inflated prices, collapses on the roads to resorts, complex logistics, measures and sanctions, because of which, after a vacation away from home, you still need the same amount of time to rest from your vacation.