Russians to Cut Travel Expenses and To Spend Holidays at Home in 2015

TripAdvisor travel portal released the results of its TripBarometer survey carried out by Ipsos independent agency. Over 44 thousand travelers and hotel staff members were interviewed in different countries, including 1931 people in Russia, of which 1738 were tourists and 193 - hotel staff. The survey shows that just two out of five respondents around the globe plan to spend more on travelling in 2015.

26% of Russian respondents say they plan to cut their holiday expenses. The main reason for that is the uncertainty about their financial status. 44% say they are going to travel to cheaper destinations, 25% will go to a country with a more favorable exchange rate. The most desired destinations are still European countries: Italy (27%), Spain (23%), and the UK (21%).

According to the survey's results, in 2013, the Russians spent on average 213.6 thousand roubles for holidays. In 2014 the figure reached 204.8 thousand, in 2015 it is not likely to exceed 180 thousand.

The Russians intend to get to know their own country this year. 51% of all planned trips for 2015 fall on domestic destinations.

Time and money are the main issues standing in the way of a dream journey. 60% of interviewed travelers claim that they save money to fulfill their dream; 38% wait till they have more time to have a chance to do that; another 10% wait for their kids to grow up. For 16% of tourists worldwide, unsteady currency exchange rates is yet another reason to postpone their travel plans. There is a lot people wishing to explore Russia. However, 48% state that they haven't yet had enough time to get to know the country properly; another 22% say that they haven't find a suitable companion to go to the trip with.