In January 2024, reservations by Russian travelers for hotel stays in Murmansk rose noticeably, climbing by 47% compared with January 2023. These figures were shared with socialbites.ca by the press service of the online booking platform Ostrovok.ru. Alongside the surge in demand, the average nightly rate for Murmansk hotels also increased, by 24% over the year, bringing the typical cost to around 5,200 rubles per night.
The Ostrovok.ru briefing noted similar booking momentum in other Russian cities. Novosibirsk saw reservations surpass last year by 29%, Krasnodar by 25%, and both Kislovodsk and Zelenogradsk by 22%. In gains for early 2023 compared with January 2023, Yekaterinburg and St. Petersburg each rose by 20%, while St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad posted 14% and 13% increases respectively for the period. These patterns reflect a broad uptick in domestic travel demand across multiple regions at the start of 2024. [Source attribution: Ostrovok.ru press service via socialbites.ca]
Murmansk, Moscow, and St. Petersburg rank among the top ten domestic destinations by the volume of reservations for January 2024. Other strong performers include Saint Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Kaliningrad, Nizhny Novgorod, Esto-Sadok, Yaroslavl, and Yekaterinburg. Within this mix, Esto-Sadok recorded the highest average nightly price at roughly 14,600 rubles, with a year-over-year increase of about 1%. By contrast, Kaliningrad offered the most economical options, averaging around 4,800 rubles per night, reflecting a modest annual rise of roughly 7%. In the same period, Moscow experienced the sharpest price increase, with the average booked night reaching about 6,700 rubles, up 34% over the year. [Source attribution: Ostrovok.ru press service via socialbites.ca]
Earlier remarks from the service indicated that five-star hotel bookings for the new year in Russia had grown by about 33%, underscoring a broader shift toward higher-end accommodations among domestic travelers. This trend aligns with a steady expansion in overall hotel demand as travelers prioritize comfort and location when planning stays within the country. [Source attribution: Ostrovok.ru press service via socialbites.ca]
Looking back at 2023, industry observers note a strong performance in the hotels sector, with a sustained interest in popular tourist corridors across large cities and resort areas. The data suggest that travelers are increasingly confident about winter and early-year trips, a pattern that could continue as regional tourism infrastructure and services adapt to evolving traveler preferences. [Source attribution: Ostrovok.ru press service via socialbites.ca]