The world experienced a tourist boom last year. The World Tourism Organization counted that over 900 million people traveled leaving their countries of residence. According to the Russian Union of tourist industry, only slightly more than 9 millions of Russians were among that number.   

If we consider an opportunity to spend a holiday in abroad as a financial well-being criterion, then it turns out that only 6% of our population fit it. According to the data by the Russian Poll Center, every fourth citizen has been abroad during last 10 years, but most of those interrogated called Ukraine, Egypt and Turkey to be “abroad”. Only 2% have seen other countries. The polls also show that only 3% of our people managed to visit far abroad, while 40% agreed to the statement that “We did not go anywhere due to the lack of money”. Nonetheless, the number of the sold tourist vouchers is constantly rising.       

“You shouldn’t be mistaken, that’s the number of trips that is going up, not the number of travelers” explained Dmitry Danilenko, vice-president of the informational tourist service BANKO to a Novaya Gazeta correspondent. “If we take the statistics by the border service, it will turn out that it’s same people that provide for “growth” of tourism in our country. It’s because now they can afford going to abroad 3-4 times a year instead of 2-3 times before.” 

The figures show that for others taking rest in abroad is getting less accessible: the costs of tours are going up for 15-20% each year. Rising in price of air tickets is the main reason. According to the Russian Union of Tourist Industry, the average price for a seat in the economic class was 9,262 rubles as of 1 February 2007, while a year later it became 11,278. The difference of 21.7% corresponds to the annual rising of prices for air tickets, as it is stated by Irina Tyurina, the spokesperson of the Union.

Travel agencies still remember the nightmare of the rising prices for the services by air carriers in November last year. That time the prices for aviation fuel went up for 30% and the airlines required that tourist firms make additional payment for already sold tickets. “The fuel continuing to go up, the airlines will be using their right of additional charging the travel agencies and those will be doing the same to the clients” believes Dmitry Danilenko.

According to Mrs. Tyurina, the cost of accommodation does not change much in abroad – that’s’ 3-5% depending on inflation rate.   

But the prices for tourist services go up during holiday periods and at the end of the vacation seasons when travel agencies try to compensate the reduced number of clients with higher prices for tours suggested.  

This is why at present 91% of Russians watch TV to learn about life in other countries – that’s the figure by the Russian Poll Center.  

P.S. Yesterday the Federal Tariff Service announced about the rise for dues collected for surface service at the airports of Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, also at the airports in Kazan and Volgograd. For the first time since 2005 the dues will increase more than the inflation rate – that’s about 30%. That is not going to affect prices by large air carriers, but may become a problem for air companies-discounters in whose prices such dues and fees take a share of 15%.The experts forecast that the cost of such tickets may increase for 5-7%.