The share of Russia in the total tourist flow in the Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah reached 25%. Tour operators confirm that sales volumes of tours to Ras al-Khaimah for this winter season have increased.

In the winter season 2019/20, tour operators significantly expand flight programs in the UAE. Dubai remains the main destination, flights to which will be operated from 25 cities of Russia. In addition to Dubai, the tours, based on the flights to the airports of Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ras al-Khaimah, will be offered.

Platov international airport of Rostov-on-Don informs that 19.10.2019 Fly Dubai air company renews the direct flights on Boeing 737 between terminal 3 of Dubai International airport and Platov airport in Rostov-on-Don.

In the autumn the demand for European destinations such as Greece, Italy and Bulgaria has grown. The demand for autumn holidays in 2019 increased by 26% compared to last year.

Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and India are the leaders of the coming winter. For these areas winter sales grew by 1,5 times within early booking program. The early booking of tours for the winter season this year began very early and the interest of tourists in this action is very high

The tour operator Anex Tour announced the sales of tours with a direct flight to Abu Dhabi (UAE) from Moscow with Azur Air flights. The flight program of Azur Air (Moscow-Abu Dhabi-Moscow) is scheduled from October 28 for the entire winter season with departures twice a week. 

In January-June 2019, citizens of the Russian Federation made 21 212 095 trips abroad. This is 6.67% more than in the same period of the last year. Turkey became the leader of outbound tourism, Italy is growing rapidly and tourist flow to Thailand has slightly decreased.

Experts have a positive view on the prospects of the low-cost flight program, especially in late autumn and winter, when the tourist flow from Russia increases due to the November and New Year holidays, as well as school holidays.

“Among Russian tourists one of the most popular winter beach destinations is becoming high-demanded one during the summer period,” TEZ TOUR operator notes. This year the number of applications for summer holidays in the UAE has increased one and a half times compared to the same period in 2018.  

The current sales volumes of tours to Dubai (UAE) for summer dates in Russia as a whole are less than a year earlier. These data was shared by some tour operators acting in the destination. 

According to the official statistics of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi, in the four months of 2019, 33,597 citizens of the Russian Federation have rested in the Emirate, which is 35% more than last year. This figure includes only those Russians who spent at least one night in one of the hotels of the Emirate. 

From June 7, Flydubai airline began to operate flights on the route Dubai — Sochi. This information was provided by the press center of the air carrier. Flights are operated jointly with Emirates Airlines. Aircraft Boeing-737-700 on this route will fly during the period of spring-summer navigation. The flights are operated twice a week on Mondays and Fridays, departure from Dubai is at 01:15, arrival in Sochi is at 04:10. The opposite route departure from Sochi is at 05:10, arrival in Dubai is at 10:00. 

From October 27, 2019 to May 10, 2020 Etihad Airways launches its second daily flight from Abu Dhabi to Domodedovo Airport. An additional flight operated by Airbus A320 will provide more convenient flight options between the two capitals — now passengers can choose a day or night flight both from Abu Dhabi and from Moscow. Thanks to two daily flights, one of which is carried out on the wings of Airbus A321, the guests will appreciate the improved connections at Etihad Airways hub airport, which will make it possible to travel more comfortably along the airline’s route network to Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Maldives, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.

“More than 230 thousand Russian tourists visited Dubai in the UAE from January to March 2019, just over this period, 4.75 million foreign guests visited the Emirate”, reports The Gulf News. "In the first quarter of 2019, Russia was on the sixth line in terms of tourist flow to the Emirate, the number of tourists was 234.14 thousand," the newspaper writes, citing the data from the Department of Tourism and Commercial Marketing of the Government of Dubai. 

“Etihad Airline from the UAE will launch an additional daily flight from Abu Dhabi to Moscow Domodedovo Airport, its flight program is scheduled for the period from October 27 to May 10, 2020,” reports the press service of the airline. 

The tours to the United Arab Emirates from ANEX Tour will be presented on blocks of Emirates Airline from Moscow to Dubai in the period from May 13 to October 7 without any fee for fuel. At the same time, ANEX Tour had interesting special offers for premium 5* hotels in Dubai for this summer. 

Flydubai airline canceled a part of its flights to Russia. This is stated in the message on the official website of the carrier on March 13.  The reason for this decision was the ban of the operation of Boeing 737 MAX8, issued by the UAE aviation authorities. The airline promises to contact by phone with those passengers whose flight is canceled to determine further action. If the call is not received, it means that the board was replaced by an older version of Boeing 737-800. Flight status can be checked independently on the carrier’s website. 

Russia showed the most impressive growth rates - the Dubai Government's Department of Tourism and Commercial Marketing announced this assessment based on the results of statistics. According to the statistics, the flow of tourists from Russia to Dubai in 2018 increased by 28%. Russian tour operators confirm this data. 

Russia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed an intergovernmental agreement on mutual abolition of visas for their citizens for short tourist travels, Regnum reported.  UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation announced that starting on Sunday, UAE citizens will be able to travel to Russia without pre-entry visas, and will be issued the document upon arrival in the country. 

For January - October 2018 the number of tourists from Russia to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (UAE) amounted to 41 thousand people, which is 37% more than during the same period last year. In the Emirate, this is mainly connected with the direct charter programs of Coral Travel tour operator from Moscow to Abu Dhabi.

Around 460,000 holidaymakers from Russia have visited Dubai in the first nine months of 2018, a 60% increase compared to the same period last year, the emirate’s tourism authority has said. An increase in Russian overnight guests was the result of 19% growth in air capacity across non-stop flights, as well as ease of travel following the introduction of visa-on-arrival facilities in the last two years, the authorities said.