The CIS travel market is going through a major shift. We asked travel agents from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Armenia about their current sales and what tourists really want right now. Here is what they told us.
The UAE: Slow but Steady Recovery
Sales to the UAE are slowly coming back after the June 2026 ban was lifted. Tourists are booking trips, but many are also looking at alternative winter destinations like Vietnam, Thailand, and the Maldives. Agents say that direct flights are the key to getting more bookings. When tourists have easy flight options, they are much more likely to choose the UAE. As one agency manager from Kazakhstan shared: "Now that all restrictions have finally been lifted, the flow of tourists is increasing day by day."
While sales are not yet at their peak, agents are highly optimistic. Almost everyone we spoke to expects tourist numbers to fully recover and return to normal levels by 2027.
Europe: Losing the Battle to Logistics and Costs
On the other hand, European beach holidays are struggling. Greece used to be a top choice for CIS tourists, but that has completely changed. The main problems are the lack of direct flights to the islands, expensive visas, and the risk of visa rejection. Because of this, the final price of a Greek holiday has become too high for the average traveler.
"Flying to Greece requires at least three layovers... Not every traveler can afford such a costly vacation; consequently, there is currently no demand for trips to Greece at all," explained a tour operator from Russia.
When tourists see the high price tag, they simply choose easier and cheaper alternatives. "Upon calculating the cost—which was comparable to a trip to the Maldives—he opted for the visa-free Maldives, which offers direct flights," another Russian agent noted. As a result, agencies are focusing their sales on Turkey, Egypt, and the UAE instead.
This Travel Barometer is based on interviews with 130 travel agencies across the CIS region. The surveyed agencies are located in Kazakhstan (46.7%), Russia (26.7%), Uzbekistan (20.0%), and Armenia (6.6%). The Russian market segment specifically includes agencies from the cities of Moscow, Chelyabinsk, Izhevsk, and Smolensk.
Baginet is 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.
