Russian families planning trips during their children's autumn school holidays this year have been warned they may struggle to find tours, according to travel expert Yana Klimakova of the agency Adventura.
Klimakova told the outlet Lenta.ru that travelers have already begun buying up packages for the late October and early November period well in advance. Demand for those dates is now running about 3 to 5 percent higher than it was a year earlier.
Klimakova said that a rise of just a few percent might look small at first glance, but holiday dates are highly concentrated, with huge numbers of families wanting to travel at roughly the same time. She said that means even a modest increase in demand quickly shows up in the availability of specific hotels, room categories and convenient flights. She added that a shortage of good hotels for those dates is already being felt.
Where families are heading
According to Klimakova, Egypt and Turkey remain the leading destinations this autumn for families traveling with children. Both countries have long been popular with Russian tourists for their all-inclusive resorts, warm climate and direct flight connections, which make them convenient options for family holidays outside the peak summer season.
She also said interest is growing in China and Vietnam, suggesting Russian travelers are increasingly looking beyond the traditional Egypt and Turkey routes for family trips.
Cheaper rentals in the velvet season
The report follows earlier advice to Russian tourists about domestic resorts offering cheaper rental rates during the velvet season, the warmer autumn stretch after the summer crowds thin out. That list included the Black Sea city of Sochi, along with Kaliningrad and Zelenogradsk in Russia's westernmost region on the Baltic coast.
Klimakova did not give specific figures for how much prices might rise as the autumn holidays approach, but her comments suggest families hoping to travel during the school break should expect fewer options the longer they wait to book.
