ATOR: About 5 million Russians will have holidays abroad at the end of the summer season

Taking into account the opening of Turkey and the readiness of some other countries to receive Russian tourists, 4,5-5 million citizens of the country will have holidays abroad, said Maya Lomidze, executive director of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).

“We do not yet know which countries will open, but we see an increase in demand for foreign destinations in an independent segment, when people took advantage of the opening of flights to Istanbul, from where they can go to different countries... There is a revival in demand for hotels in the Maldives and Montenegro. Taking into account a certain error, we can say that in foreign destinations this season (it is still difficult to say until the end of the year) the tourist flow may reach totally up to 4,5-5 million people,” she said at a press conference on Monday.

As Lomidze noted, Turkey is in the greatest demand among Russian tourists, sales are going very well. “Demand is very high at the moment. I must say that sales for the end of August and the first days of September show very good indicators,” she stressed.

Lomidze added that some countries, in particular, Tanzania and the Dominican Republic, have adjusted their requirements for foreign visitors, but the changes are minor.

Russia resumed international flights with Turkey on August 1. Direct regular and charter flights are operated from Moscow, St. Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don to the resorts of Antalya, Dalaman and Bodrum. Air links with Tanzania and Great Britain are also opened. Flights to Switzerland will resume from 15 August.

In 2019, Russians made more than 48 million trips abroad, including 18 million with tourism purposes. Turkey has become the most popular foreign destination.