Russian outbound tourism market may increase by 5-8% this year and reach 29 million trips

The volume of the Russian outbound tourism market this year may increase by 5-8%, and the domestic market by 10-15%, according to article written by Kommersant. In real terms, the indicators, based on analysts' data, will reach 28.4-29.2 million and 101.2-105.8 million trips, respectively.  The growth in the number of trips abroad is being held back by travel restrictions for part of the population and logistical difficulties, although the strengthening of the ruble and the development of air travel make them more accessible. 

According to the FSB Border Service, in the first quarter of 2025, Russians made 5.57 million trips abroad, of which 2.24 million were for tourism purposes. Year-on-year, the indicators increased by 4.6% and 10.7%, respectively. 

Ostrovok notes that the volume of bookings for accommodation abroad for June-December of this year has grown by 24% year-on-year. In the overall structure of demand, they account for 17%, compared to 15% in 2024. Oleg Kozyrev, Marketing Director of Travelata.ru, says that demand for package tours abroad has increased by 17% over the year. Lyubov Voronina, Head of International Projects at Sletat.ru, has noticed a 27.3% year-on-year increase in demand for foreign tours in the first four months of the year and expects the trend to continue.

Neo Business Development Partner Albina Koryagina notes that the growth of the outbound market is being held back by the de facto ban on travel abroad for government employees and the military, the high cost of travel, the limited number of available destinations, difficulties in obtaining Schengen visas, and the blocking of Russian bank cards abroad. According to the expert, the outbound market can grow mainly due to trips to Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Ostrovok notes that in January-April 2025, demand for Oman increased by 90%, Vietnam by 50%, and Cambodia by 40%. According to the service representative, the growth is largely due to the expansion of the carriers' route network.