January travel patterns show a strong appetite for abroad holidays among Russians
Recent research conducted by OneTwoTrip and reviewed by socialbites.ca reveals that just over half of Russians, 51.8%, choose to travel overseas after the New Year holiday. The data highlights a clear preference for international getaways as the calendar flips to the new year.
Moscow remains the top destination for January hotel bookings, drawing 26.4% of travelers who arrange stays in the city. The year-round demand for Moscow holds steady, with only modest shifts in the share of travelers from month to month. Sochi follows in second place with 18.5% of visitors, while Saint Petersburg sits in third with 15.8% of the booked rooms. The southern resort city has seen a slight dip in popularity, with hotel reservations down by about 13%, yet Saint Petersburg continues to attract a similar level of interest from travelers seeking culture, history, and architecture.
Beyond these three leaders, several other destinations attract attention in January. Kazan accounts for 2.3% of the city share, Kaliningrad 2.2%, Irkutsk 1.7%, Arkhyz 1.6%, Yekaterinburg 1.3%, Dombay 1.2%, and Krasnodar 1.1%. Notably, Krasnodar reports the sharpest increase in housing demand, with hotel bookings doubling versus January of the previous year. Dombay also shows strong growth at +50%, while Arkhyz and Kaliningrad rise by 45% each. In contrast, interest in Irkutsk and Kazan declines, with hotel reservations dropping 35% and 20% respectively.
Interest in foreign destinations remains robust. Bangkok and Istanbul are nearly tied as the most favored international choices in January, each capturing around 6.5% to 6.8% of the preference. While interest in Turkey has softened by about 20% over the year, demand for Thai getaways has grown, with hotel bookings in Bangkok increasing by roughly 20% year over year. Other popular international stops include Phuket at 4.9% with stable demand and Pattaya at 4.2% after a 20% drop in traveler numbers.
Rounding out the top ten are Dubai at 3.2%, Paris at 2.9%, Milan at 2.3%, Rome at 1.9%, Palermo at 1.5%, and Yerevan at 1%. Among these, Palermo stands out for its unexpected surge: at the start of 2023 the city was rarely on travelers’ radars, but it has quickly climbed to the 9th spot. Paris and Milan have also grown in popularity by 35% and 20% respectively, while interest in Yerevan and Dubai has waned, with orders down by 40% and 33% respectively.
The data reflect the evolving preferences of travelers in Russia as they weigh domestic opportunities against international adventures at the start of the year. The relative strength of major hubs like Moscow and Saint Petersburg demonstrates that urban cultural experiences and accessible city breaks remain appealing. Meanwhile, mountain resorts and regional centers continue to attract increasing numbers of visitors as travel patterns diversify and seasonal demand shifts. The broader takeaway is a nuanced picture: while some locales see rising demand, others experience a cooling as travelers reallocate their itineraries across cities, regions, and countries.