Russia is a country bountiful in natural diversity.
Boasting subtropical and Mediterranean climates, to grand modern smart cities and some of the best mountain ranges and ski resorts to be found anywhere in world.
But why, as little as 5 years ago, did only 30% of Russian holidaymakers choose to go on a “staycation” (according to RussiaTrek.org).
The fact of the matter is, that 5 years ago the domestic Russian travel market looks a lot different to what it is today. Domestic air travel was expensive, as where train fares, and due to the popularity of overseas travel to then hotspots Egypt and Italy, travel companies were more focused (and looking to cash in) on user demand and as such there was much less advertisement for staycations.
That being said, strong economies grow from retention and by transferring wealth between regions through tourism, you can redistribute and grow an economy.
In 2015 the Government set out to improve internal infrastructure and increase domestic travel by more than double, and to a degree, they have seen both these objectives met (speculatively, given the data hasn’t been released yet).
Externally, the 2018 World Cup had a lasting effect, with a reported 200% increase in inbound travel to Russia (as a Summer holiday destination), which in turn meant infrastructure was improved and an influx of tourist money into the economy.
One of the areas that benefitted from increased external tourism investment, as well as being a popular staycation destination is the city of Sochi in the Krasnodar Krai.
The general breakdown of the most popular Russian travel destinations include:
- Moscow
- St. Petersburg
- Kazan
- Kaliningrad
- Yekaterinburg
- Yaroslavl
- Novosibirsk
- Irkutsk
- Krasnodar
- Suzdal
Staycation Destinations
Given the country’s vast size, flying is often the only sensible mode of transport for Russians; the drive from Moscow to Sochi, for instance, is 37 hours long, as a result, staycation destinations do very much vary between regions and cities.
Low-cost airlines, such as Pobeda, are set to offer lower tariffs for the forthcoming holiday season in a bit to resume numerous flying routes with as many passengers as possible to begin recuperating revenue streams again.
Sochi & The Krasnodar Krai
Geographically close to the popular tourist destination of Krasnodar, and based in the Krasnodar Krai, Sochi is an up-and-coming destination for staycationers.
Having hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics, as well as being a host city for the 2018 World Cup – with a brand new stadium build, and the relocation of Dynamo St. Petersburg to Sochi (becoming PFC Sochi) has led to a renewed focus on the area.
The Krasnodar Krai is also set to have a large increase in IT infrastructure spend over the coming months as well, so getting ahead of the curve and making sure you’re optimized and visible (in organic search) within the Russian Federation for staycations to Sochi is a must.
Sochi International Airport is one of the 10 largest airports in Russia, and receives flights from almost all other airports internally so targeting most high population regions and cities is advised.
