The representative of OnlineTur.ru Igor Blinov confirmed that up to 30%, who previously traveled abroad on their own, refocused on organized booking of tours, increasing the active customer base of travel companies.

This is attributed to the inability to use Russian bank cards abroad and the withdrawal from the market of foreign booking platforms, including Booking.com and Airbnb. Maya Lomidze, executive director of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, also confirmed that tour operators are approached by clients booking hotel rooms, transfers and other ground services in Europe.

According to the GEO.Platforma and Compare services, this year only 16% of respondents organize vacations on their own, 84% purchase ready-made tours. A third of respondents indicated that booking plane tickets this year has become much more difficult. Before the pandemic, the share of organized tourists in general in all outbound destinations was about 60%.

This trend began to be observed in 2021. At the height of the pandemic, independent tourists had to decide on their own the issue of returning home, and organized travelers were provided with flights by tour operators.

Against the backdrop of the crisis, Russian online travel agencies (OTA) also received additional demand, the number of clients increased by 10-30%. Travel agents make payments abroad through direct contracts with carriers, their own legal entities in Europe or subsidiaries in post-Soviet countries.

bbabo.Net