Tour operators predict that during the fourth phase of the tourist cashback program (in October-December), the rating of popular vacation destinations will practically not change. Now the leaders are the Krasnodar Territory and Crimea. This was reported by the press service of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).
"The most popular destinations have also collected the main portion of the cashback, since a decrease in the price of any popular product always boosts its sales. These same destinations will top the rating of the coming winter destinations. Cashback does not generate new tourist flows to unknown places, it evenly (by 15-20%) strengthens the existing destinations without changing their popularity," Sergey Romashkin, Director-General of the Dolphin tour operator, believes.
In the off-season, the cashback campaign will help regional health resorts.
"According to the results of the second phase, which can be taken as a basis, in the low season accommodation facilities in the regions attained an occupancy rate of 80%, and the demand for a regional product increased by 50%. The TOP-5 of the most popular destinations included the resorts of the Krasnodar Territory − their share in sales was 44% (80% of all sales were in Sochi, 10% − in Gelendzhik, 9% − in Anapa, 1% − in Tuapseh). Those places were followed by: Caucasian Mineral Waters − 21%, Crimea − 10%, vacations in regional hotels and health resorts of the Urals and Siberia, Moscow region and nearby regions (Ivanovo, Tver, Ryazan, Yaroslavl, Tula, Kaluga regions) − 6%," ALEAN company Director Ilya Umansky says.
At ATOR they suppose that October will be full of excursion programs. Last year this segment sank due to COVID-19 restrictions.
As reported, sales of tours for the fourth phase of the domestic tourism support program with partial refunds will open from June 16. It will be possible to buy tours from October 1 to mid-December.
On March 18, the third phase of the program started in Russia. Tours can be bought until June 15, and the booked tour must be undertaken until June 30. According to the terms of the promotion campaign, the duration of the tour or hotel stay must be at least two nights; the refund amount is 20% of the cost of the tour, but not more than 20 thousand rubles. Cashback is credited only for trips paid for with a MIR card.
