Western Europe used to be the destination of choice for Russian tourists.
Now, it seems like everyone has a different opinion on that.
People used to stroll museums in France and enjoy fine cuisine in Italy, as well as goes on hikes up atop hills in Spain where they can see for miles around him!
Then Russia invades Ukraine. now people prefers not to give his last name and Russian people are avoiding Europe as a vacation destination. Many people struggle to obtain visas for European countries.
Last week, the European Union agreed to suspend a 2007 travel agreement with Moscow that facilitates visa requirements for Russian citizens. The move will make it more difficult and costly for those looking forward visiting to the bloc.
In the future, when Putin leaves and we become a normal country again, I hope that I will be able to visit Europe again.
Max – RUSSIAN CITIZEN
The recent closure of European Union airspace to Russian airlines increased difficulties for travelers.
The bad irony is that a lot of people are against the war and Putin but still experience travel difficulties.
One day in the Future, when Putin will no longer be President of Russia and we have a new government in place again I hope that it will be possible for me to visit Italy. Italy has always been one of my favorite countries.
Decline of Russian Travelers in Europe
Many Russian people decided to pack up and move abroad for a vacation destination this summer.
According to data from a Travel Data Company, the top 20 most booked countries by Russian travelers before the war’s outbreak included Italy, Spain, Cyprus, and Greece.
Russian air travel to Europe has been significantly reduced over the summer, to just 26% of what it was in 2019.
It is now more difficult than ever for the people of Russia to travel outside their country. Since invading Ukraine, many popular destinations have been off-limits due to a ban on direct flights that have left Russians with only one option if they want to visit Europe: changing planes somewhere like Istanbul or Dubai.
Where do the Russia people want to go for Vacation?
Russia’s influence in the world is undeniable. In fact, according to Travel Data Company which examined flight arrival data for June through August this year compared with 2019; several leisure destinations saw an increase in Russian visitors!
- Maldives (from 5% to 20%)
- Seychelles (3% to 7%)
- Turkey (4% to 8%)
- United Arab Emirates (1% to 3%)
It seems that despite the war, Russian tourists are still very interested in visiting some countries. According to the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), the top three destinations for them in 2019 were Turkey which was also one of Russia’s most popular tourist spots before, followed by Abkhazia, UAE, and the Maldives.
While the Maldives has been a popular destination for rich Russians in recent years. These tourists get visas on arrival to stay up to 90 days.
Travelers have been flocking to Turkey with the falling Turkish lira since mid-March is having a major impact on travel numbers to Turkey, which currently stands at 18.23 against the dollar this summer. With inflation near 80% (and even higher in some areas), there are plenty of opportunities for savings on travel accommodations.
Russians may be less likely to travel abroad due to the EU’s suspension of its 2007 preference visa agreement with Moscow. Economic problems could discourage them from leaving their country as well and this would affect international tourism rates greatly!
“With the war continuing and an economic outlook that is rapidly deteriorating, it seems likely that Russians will have a much harder time traveling in coming months.”
