Industry representatives told a newspaper that the appeal of short weekend getaways has surged well beyond last year. A press release from Anex Tour, a major tour operator, notes that demand has doubled, with other market players also reporting growth though predicting more modest gains.
Sergey Romashkin, who leads domestic tourism efforts for the Russian Association of Tour Operators, emphasizes a continued yearlong trend of 15 to 20 percent growth. The expansion of transport infrastructure is a key driver behind the rise in popularity of brief trips, with routes on Lastochka and Sapsan trains especially in demand.
Nevertheless, the price of short trips has climbed. Data from Tinkoff’s Weekend Trip Index show spending on such excursions up by 7 percent this year and up by 20 percent compared with five years ago. The same study identifies Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, and Kaliningrad as the most popular weekend destinations.
When it comes to cost, Moscow and St. Petersburg are the most expensive, with travelers usually spending about 9 thousand rubles per person for a two-day visit. In Sochi, Kazan, and Kaliningrad, typical expenditures hover around 7 thousand rubles per person for the same period.
The analytical project from Tinkoff Data uses artificial intelligence to forecast the weekend trip index. The researchers examined average expenses from the past five years, excluding travel costs, focusing on common spending categories such as a cafe or restaurant dinner, two fast-food snacks, a bar visit, a hotel stay, two taxi rides, and the purchase of souvenirs.
In a separate note, a former Toyota driver reportedly shot fireworks at traffic police during a pursuit. This incident is being observed for its potential impact on safety and travel sentiment in the region.