As for the dynamics of the tourist flow from Russia in various destinations, Turkey showed the highest growth in annual terms within TOP-30 countries (+ 47.8% compared to the first quarter of 2018).
Significant figures of annual growth was demonstrated by Cuba (+ 43.8%), Belgium (+ 25.7%), Sri Lanka (+ 24%), Japan (+ 21,3%), Italy (+20,7%), Hungary (+ 18,2%), Indonesia (+ 16,2%), United Kingdom (+ 13,6%), Cyprus (+ 10,2%) and Dominican Republic (+ 10,2%). Of the most popular "winter" destinations Thailand showed almost zero growth (+0,8%).
Out the TOP-30, the following countries showed record growth figures in the first quarter: Slovenia (+ 67.7%), Serbia (+ 52.9%), Mexico (+ 34%) and Montenegro (+ 30.6% in annual terms).
A number of popular "winter" tourist (both beach, and excursion or ski) destinations, however, showed a significant decline in popularity among Russians. Thus, in the first quarter, according to the data of the Border Guard Service of the Federal Security Service of Russia, the flow of tourists from Russia decreased in India (-11.5% ) and the United Arab Emirates (-10%).
The Czech Republic, traditionally popular in the winter among the Russians, showed a drop in Russian tourist traffic in January-March by 8.1%. As for Norway, it showed -6.4%. Austria showed a drop in tourist arrivals from Russia by 3.9% (other European countries with ski resorts were in positive trend - Italy + 20.7%, Switzerland + 4.2%, France +1.2 % and Bulgaria + 8.7%).
If we take the 12 most popular destinations, where the Russians like to go for a beach holiday in winter, in the I quarter of 2019 the total outbound tourist flow from Russia was 1 million 480 thousand people. This is only 2.13% more than in the first quarter of 2018 (1 million 449 thousand).
Although in January-March period Cuba, Mexico and Sri Lanka showed an impressive increase among the “winter beach” destinations, in absolute figures the volume of tourist traffic to these countries is relatively small.
