According to data from the Federal State Statistics Service, Rosstat, the number of Russian tourists arriving in Romania increased by 73% in the first quarter of 2015, while the flow of tourists to the Czech Republic and Poland decreased by 45% and 33%, respectively. In Slovakia, the decline was 70%, and in Slovenia, over 50%. Hungary was less affected, with a decrease of 8%.
The Russian Union of Travel Industry stated that there is a high number of flights to the Czech Republic and low demand for holidays in Poland, the Baltic states, Slovakia, and Slovenia, while Romania and Hungary remain popular destinations for Russians.
In May of this year, Oleg Safonov, head of the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism, stated that Russian tourists visiting other countries spend approximately $50 billion annually.
EU data estimates a slowdown in the growth rate of tourism from Russia to Europe to 4.5% in the 2015-2019 period, compared to 89.9% in the previous 5 years.
The Association of Russian Tour Operators claims that the depreciation of the ruble has caused a 50% decline in the number of Russian tourists visiting other countries since December. However, Greece remains a popular destination for Russian tourists, along with Hungary and Romania.
Recently, Rosstat announced that the number of foreign tourists who visited Russia in the first quarter of 2015 decreased by 0.76%, from 257,280 to 255,324 visitors.
Source: Economica
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Russian tourism to Romania increase in Q1 2015?
While many European destinations saw a decline due to the ruble’s depreciation, Romania remained a popular and accessible destination for Russian travelers.
How did the ruble’s depreciation affect Russian outbound tourism?
The depreciation of the ruble led to a 50% overall decline in Russian tourists traveling abroad starting in December 2014.
Which other European countries remained popular for Russian tourists?
Besides Romania, Hungary and Greece remained popular destinations despite the general downward trend in Russian tourism to Europe.