All New Year's overseas tour were snapped up Russians. At first glance, this suggests that our citizens who have the financial capacity to carry out the January holidays away from home, this time did not save. However, it's not just that: learning the hard way last year's experience, travel agencies, not wanting to risk again, just greatly reduced sentence - in some areas up to one third. This is probably why so careful expert forecasts for this year. On the one hand, the industry seems to have started to recover. On the other - the prices of tours by summer will almost certainly rise, and the crisis teaches Russian traveler meticulously counting the money.
Previous New Year's Day, we recall, were for the domestic tourist industry hard. In early 2009, the market has dropped by 20-25%, the company bankrupt and closed, there was talk even about the collapse of the entire industry. However, by summer, it became clear: the patient more alive than dead. Purchase of financial affluent Russians wont rest abroad was indestructible, that once again demonstrated and the recent holidays. A week before the New Year Travel cheerfully reported: almost all the tours are sold out. Those travelers that prefer to organize your own holiday by booking a place in the hotels through the Internet, faced with another problem: there were no tickets.
«Preferences Russians have not changed - said" NO "President of the Professional League tourist Andrew Ignatieff. - Christmas tours were very good sales in some areas close to the pre-crisis levels, although the previous December and January were very poor. " According to experts, this contributed to the pricing policies of many companies at this time selling Christmas tours to 15 percent cheaper. "But not any more", - underlines Mr. Ignatieff as the next, as he claims, has already been risk zone. "Those who have too much lowered prices eventually collapsed. We had several similar cases, when just before the new year, the company burst. They are those who sell tours below the real price of 20-40%, but in the end it was just a sham account ", - explained the specialist.

the sea, the deep blue sea

As usual, the winter of Russians prefer to go where the heat or at least not as cold as ours: in Egypt, Turkey, Thailand, Spain, as well as in the United Arab Emirates, where, incidentally, dropped the price of the hotel. However, was popular and Europe, particularly Finland. Nevertheless, as the experts, tours of this year yielded several beach holiday. The explanation is simple: rest of the "I go and watch" suggests, as a rule the purchase of additional services on the spot. And if you take holidays on a "come and lie down, unexpected costs is obviously less. A crisis forces count their money, even those who have enough of them.
Wealthier our fellow citizens are actively mastered the Dominican Republic. "Caribbean countries have worked very well - told" NO "press secretary of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (PCT) Irina Tyurina. - It's Dominican Republic, Maldives. These costs equal the expensive option in Europe, but there the sea, beaches, warm, luxurious all-inslusive. And that's where our people are less willing to go, so it is in Eastern Europe. For reasons already stated. Greatly subsided Moscow - prices are quite high, and amenities as compared with foreign counterparts, to put it mildly, questionable. And when a person faces a choice to spend 40 thousand rubles. at Moscow boarding house or a hotel on the beach, he prefers the latter. New Year's crisis has proved it very convincingly.

We pull-pull

At this time the sale of Christmas tours began in November and, according to Andrew Ignatieff, the first segment is understood quite expensive tours, and cheap have become closer to December. This is another feature of past vacations - the decision to go or not go often delayed until the last. Explain why, apparently, too - a very large number of citizens could not be sure that the fact that New Year holiday will be held. Another "trick" of this "mini-season" that many people prefer to vacation abroad after the New Year and the holiday homes noting. "This is due to the fact that New Year's tours are always 20-30% or even 40% more of the same is not Christmas - explained," NOR "Irina Tyurina. - In addition, many have feared peak flights, when there are failures, delayed flights, crowded airports. Therefore, rather than the usual buying tours, starting 02/03 January ».
And of course, she said, people have reduced class recreation. "First of all, take low cost structure. But even if you buy expensive, the "tramp" in the price as much as possible any options - told Ms. Turin. - I ask what are the specials, are assumed to whether any gifts. The deciding factor could be a bottle of wine in room ceteris paribus ».

Quality and not quantity

Thus, the failure of the travel market has not happened, but the risk that it can not be avoided, remained until recently. After all, as it were, the number of Russians go on holiday abroad in 2009, has declined. The final figures have yet to count, but estimated already called and 25, 30 or even 40%. Before the new year, All-Russian Center for Public Opinion Studies (VTsIOM) asked the people where they are going to spend the holidays. Only 1% of respondents stated that they intend to spend the holidays away from home. This, frankly, a ridiculous proportion included those who had planned to rest abroad, and those who are going to bestow his presence resorts of Russia. It's across the country.
«There were fears people would go at all or not, but these fears are, thank God, did not materialize - confirms the ambiguity of the situation Irina Tyurina. - I must admit: it might be much worse. " The industry waited for the New Year with great anxiety, and learned in the previous bitter experience, tour took place at 25-30% less than last year. Therefore, and sold everything. In other words, success is largely not due to increased demand, and by reducing the supply.
So while the experts are afraid to make predictions about the summer. All expressed the utmost caution. As noted in the World Tourism Organization, this year we can expect a slow fall in demand for travel services, can even increase, but mainly at the expense of developing Asian countries. Domestic tour operators are waiting for recovery in demand for its services and the like would be willing to expand their summer programs. But also not yet make any sudden movements. After all, in any scenario, prices of tours will grow. And wherever they go, if jet fuel probably will go up again - the oil market on the rise, experts argue. And when "black gold goes up, followed in a hurry and flights. We do this until the law is, quite literally does not have retroactive effect: when the oil is cheaper in Russia as it would not notice.

Eugene Zubchenko