Russian travelers are interested in destinations outside the European Union, according to a new study by an analytics company. Forwardkeys.
This analysis is based on booking data made in 2017 and January 2018, as well as for The comparison takes into account bookings for international flights in 2013.
The analysis took into account bookings made at more than 200,000 online and offline travel agencies worldwide (however, the analysis does not include data on bookings by residents of the Russian Republic of Crimea, according to the explanatory notes included with the study).
According to the study, the Russian outbound tourist flow increased significantly last year, whichmarked the end of a three-year period of decline in the number of foreign trips by Russians.
Travel demand was driven by the economic situation, particularly the fluctuations of the ruble. Political relations also influenced travelers' choices. As a result, Russian tourists showed greater enthusiasm for countries outside the European Union.
The company believes that, despite active growth in 2017, Russian tourism is still far from its pre-crisis levels.
How fluctuations in the Russian ruble have affected tourist flow from Russia over the past four years.
How Russian tourists reacted to foreign currency fluctuations.
The fastest-growing destinations for Russian travelers in 2017.
Source: trn-news.ru