According to reports from Kommersant and RBC, the Russian hotel group AZIMUT Hotels has expressed a plan to wind down its European operations within the next year. The coverage traces an earlier announcement and reflects a strategic shift away from the European market. On the company site, three AZIMUT properties remain active in Europe, located in Dresden, Erding, and Nuremberg. The press service confirmed to RBC that AZIMUT has ended management agreements with several European hotels, signaling a broader realignment of its international footprint. This backdrop situates AZIMUT’s modern expansion and contraction within a volatile global hospitality landscape, where balance sheets and branding are constantly recalibrated in response to shifting demand, regulatory conditions, and evolving corporate priorities. The move underscores how some hospitality groups are reassessing cross-border operations while aiming to preserve core markets and regional partnerships in the long run.
In another initiative tied to its domestic customer base, AZIMUT Hotels conducted a nationwide survey across major Russian cities to gauge how residents celebrate Valentine’s Day. The results reveal a nuanced tapestry of personal celebration styles and relationship statuses. A sizable 34% of respondents choose to celebrate based on mood rather than a fixed plan, while 23% have February 14 already anchored in their personal holiday calendars. About 18% prefer the novelty of the holiday alongside other occasions, and 8% feel Valentine’s Day holds less meaning for them. A quarter of participants do not observe the occasion as a holiday at all. Among those who celebrate on February 14, 33% plan to spend the day with a spouse, 28% with a lover or partner, and 17% have not yet selected a partner for the celebration. The data illuminate how seasonal holidays intersect with relationship dynamics and personal time management in contemporary Russian society, offering AZIMUT a window into guest preferences that could inform service offerings, promotions, and experiential marketing tied to romantic getaways, dining, or intimate weekend retreats. Analysts note that such insights help hospitality brands tailor messaging, packages, and loyalty experiences to diverse consumer segments across the country.