The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) and Rosturizm have published the annual list of popular foreign destination for Russian tourists. They also noted that the figures of Russian tourism are improving thus signaling that a better future lies ahead.
Rosturizm together with ATOR have made a rating of most popular countries among Russian tourists. Alexander Radkov, deputy head of Federal Agency for Tourism, and Vladimir Kantorovich, first vice president of ATOR, presented their statistics in June 2010. Preliminary statistics based on the sales of tours at the beginning of the summer season were also published. According to experts, a record number of Russian tourists may be going on holiday abroad in the summer season 2010.
Turkey, as expected, remains in the first place on the popularity list of foreign destinations, Egypt occupies the second place, and Spain comes in the third place, followed by Greece in fourth, and Thailand, which unexpectedly came in the fifth place in spite of the political unrest. Cyprus is in the sixth place, seventh place is shared by Bulgaria and Tunisia and eighth place by Montenegro and Croatia, the Dominican Republic is ninth, and the Czech Republic closes the top 10.
According to tour operators, many destinations have recovered from the crisis. Last year the season was marked by a fall of tourist flow of both inbound (-8%), and outbound tourism (-15%). This year the growth of tourist flow is observed in almost all major areas. Only in June, the number of Russian tourists increased by 20% in European countries, whereas a year ago a decline reached 15-18%. The highest growth of Russian tourist flow is on the Maldives (+80%), in Thailand (+70%), and in Cuba (+50%).
Strange that China wasn't mentioned. It's getting to the top of the list of countries most visited by Russians - especially Sanya on Hainan.