Summary of “The Russian Tourism Market Report: Trends, Analysis & Statistics”

Introducing our latest achievement: Quarter Billion Agency Travel, has successfully conducted an exclusive research study titled “The Russian Tourism Market Report: Trends, Analysis & Statistics – How to captivate Russian tourists and entice them to visit your country.” Today, we are thrilled to unveil this exceptional research to you.

If you are a representative of a tourism ministry, a foreign company operating in the travel industry, an airline, a hotel, or a foreign advertising agency involved in promoting tourism and travel-related services in Russia, this research will prove invaluable to you.

Let’s take a sneak peek into the report’s contents.

Russia’s Position in Global Tourism

Russia plays a significant role in the realm of worldwide tourism. In 2012, Russian tourists spent a substantial amount of 43 billion US dollars on holidays and travel abroad, placing Russia among the top five countries with the highest expenditures by its citizens for international vacations. However, due to the currency crisis, Russia slipped out of the top 10 countries between 2013 and 2016 after holding the 5th position in 2013-2014. Fortunately, in 2017, Russia experienced a remarkable surge of 13% in international tourism expenditures, reclaiming its position in the top 10 countries and elevating from the 11th to the 8th place. This resurgence in spending serves as a testament to the country’s economic upsurge.

Popular Destinations Among Russian Travelers

During the period of 2016-2017, a significant number of Russians chose Turkey, Abkhazia, Finland, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and China as their preferred destinations. It is important to note that these statistics encompass not only tourist trips but all types of travel.

Russians frequently visit neighboring countries like Finland, China, and Poland for business purposes, while also traveling to former Soviet Union nations such as Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Georgia to visit their relatives and friends.

Expenditure Habits of Russian Tourists

In a comprehensive study conducted by Visa, the international payment company, known as the Visa Global Travel Intentions Study, insights were unveiled regarding the financial considerations of travelers from various nations. The research, covering the period of 2016-2017, revealed that Russian tourists allocated an average of $1,676 for a single trip. Notably, 51% of the total budget was typically expended prior to embarking on the journey, while the remaining 49% was utilized at the destination.

Furthermore, it was found that a significant majority of 70% of Russian travelers prefer to use bank cards during their travel planning, emphasizing the prevalent use of electronic payment methods among this demographic.

Planning a Journey: Russian Tourists’ Approach

The Key Influences on Travel Destination Selection: Online Reviews (39%) and Recommendations from Friends (32%).

Characteristics of Tourists

In order to gain a deeper understanding of the needs and unique behavioral traits of Russian travelers, we conducted comprehensive in-depth interviews. These interviews provided valuable insights into what matters most to them when they travel and the factors influencing their decision to opt for organized tours or independent travel.

By developing a solid comprehension of our target audience, we can establish meaningful and personalized communication, gain a clear understanding of travelers’ needs, and carry out impactful advertising campaigns.

The Journey of a Tourist: From Intention to Trip Reviews

The balance of power and control over information has tilted in favor of the consumer. In today’s landscape, it is increasingly vital to grasp the journey towards a purchase and meticulously monitor the impressions made at every interaction with the audience.

To provide you with a visual representation of how Russian tourists plan their travels, we have recreated the entire journey from the initial spark of wanderlust to their return and the subsequent sharing of their experiences.

By utilizing two distinct portraits, we depicted the various aspects of information-seeking, decision-making, and emotions experienced by individuals during their travel planning. These portraits include:

• A married couple embarking on a package tour.
• A single man venturing out on a solo journey.

An overview of the B2B tourism market and its prevailing trends

“The tour operator market is experiencing consolidation. Five years ago, there were approximately 15 prominent tour operators holding substantial market share. However, at present, less than 10 major players remain, and the number of small tour operators has significantly decreased. Despite these changes, the package tour market will continue to thrive and progress, enabling tour operators to provide competitive pricing options to meet the demands of the mass market.” – Aleksey Zaretskiy, Founder of the online service Travelata.

Maya Lomidze, the Executive Director of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), predicts a reduction in the number of travel agencies in Russia in 2018. This decline is expected to occur due to legislative changes taking effect from January 1 and the ongoing natural selection process in the market.

Current trends observed in the eTravel market

The online shopping volume within the Russian tourism market, while currently representing a small portion of the overall travel market, is experiencing significant growth. According to the Data Insight Study of 2016, online bookings accounted for 20% of ticket sales, 10-14% of hotel bookings, and only 3-5% of tour sales (in comparison to 50% in the UK and 25% in Germany). The eTravel market in Russia reached approximately $13.7 billion in 2017, exhibiting a stable annual growth rate of just over 20%.

The most popular online services for purchasing travel products include the Russian Railways website (utilized by 43% of buyers at least once in the past year), airline websites (30%), hotel booking services (29%), air ticket sales services (22%), and room reservations through hotel websites (21%).

Further insights gained from the research include:

• Identification of the key players operating in the Russian market.
• Recommendations on suitable and unsuitable advertising platforms for targeting Russian tourists.
• Strategies for designing an effective advertising campaign that resonates with Russian tourists.
• Exploration of future trends in the Russian outbound tourism market.

We invite you to download “The Russian Tourism Market Report: Trends, Analysis & Statistics. How to impress Russian tourists and attract them to your country” for a more comprehensive understanding of Russian outbound tourism.

We hope you enjoy reading!