During the March holidays in 2024, Russians showed a clear preference for foreign beach destinations. Egypt led with 24 percent of travelers, followed by the United Arab Emirates at 19 percent and Thailand at 18 percent. These rankings reflect calculations by Rosgosstrakh and Travelata.ru, with a copy obtained by socialbites.ca.
The typical cost of a trip to Egypt rose to around 167 thousand rubles, up from about 142 thousand rubles the previous year. Thailand tours were even pricier, averaging roughly 242 thousand rubles. Yet, a notable portion of travelers still considered domestic options, with roughly 14 percent choosing Russian resorts and spending about 62 thousand rubles on average, an increase of 23 percent from 2023.
Tourists mainly opted for 4 star hotels, chosen by 38 percent, and 5 star properties, chosen by 31 percent. Breakfast remained the most popular meal plan at 41 percent, with all inclusive programs chosen by 31 percent. Only 2 percent preferred apartments.
Travel insights from Travelata.ru’s Marketing Director Oleg Kozyrev highlight that overall orders for the March holidays were lower than a year ago, despite the longer weekend. The favored destinations of those who traveled were the beaches of Egypt, the UAE, and Thailand, while Russia did not rank in the top three this year.
The most expensive itinerary examined was a Moscow to Dubai eight night stay in a five star hotel for three people, including breakfast, priced at 900,936 rubles. The most affordable option was a two night stay in a four star hotel from Moscow to Saint Petersburg, at 15,806 rubles per person, a trip to the city of Saint Petersburg.
Rosgosstrakh reported that the leaders in individual travel among Russians included Russia, Thailand, Italy, China, and Azerbaijan. In the insurance segment, 43 percent of buyers chose accident coverage, and 15 percent selected sports coverage. Popular policy durations ranged from five to fourteen days, with many travelers seeking plans for up to four days as well.
Comments from Olga Kuptsova, deputy director of Rosgosstrakh, note that even with shorter weekends, people are extending holidays by combining them with other time off. The sustained interest in sports insurance signals that the ski season has largely concluded.
Earlier observations indicated a growing demand for all inclusive tours within Russia, a trend that had seen notable acceleration. The shift also shows Russians increasingly exploring more diverse destinations, while Crimea remained a familiar retreat for some travelers.