The July 2026 sales calls data reveals that a Russian outbound tourism market is deeply conservative in its destination choices. Turkey, Egypt, and Vietnam dominate sales, while secondary destinations like Thailand, the Maldives, China, and the UAE maintain steady demand. European destinations remain in sharp decline. More interesting trends mentioned by Baginet managers during monthly sales calls are below.
The single most consistent finding across all sales calls this month: Russian tourists overwhelmingly prioritize beach vacations. Agents repeatedly stated that when clients choose between a sea destination and an excursion-based destination, they will "always choose the sea." This creates a structural barrier for landlocked destinations like Uzbekistan.
Several agents noted that "everything has become much more expensive." Clients who once paid 180,000 RUB for a vacation are now seeing the same package at 500,000 RUB and are becoming more conservative. This price pressure makes newer, unproven destinations harder to sell.
European destinations, particularly Greece, have seen a dramatic decline. Agents cited high visa costs, lack of direct flights, and general uncertainty as key factors. Montenegro was mentioned as a visa-free alternative that has gained some traction.
Many agents stated they can only sell packages offered by their primary tour operators (Coral, Anex, Pegas, Tez Tour, Fun&Sun). Until packages for a new destination or itinerary appear in these systems, agents cannot book them—even if they want to. This was a recurring frustration.
Several agencies reported that staff now work partially or fully remotely, making in-person presentations challenging. Some offices are only open by appointment.
The analysis above is based on the July 2026 reports of sales calls made by Baginet with 209 travel agencies from 8 cities across Russia (Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Samara, Tula and Ryazan).
This sales analysis is derived from de-identified data collected during meetings conducted by Baginet, a creative advertising and consulting agency specializing in tourism representation and marketing for international hotels and destinations. A core part of Baginet's work involves direct, face-to-face engagement with the travel agent community. On average, Baginet's team conducts over 100 face-to-face meetings with travel agencies across Russia and the CIS every month.
