Russian Outbound Ski Tourism in 2018: An Overview
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Russia’s leading travel and tourism exhibition
12–14 March 2019 Expocentre, Moscow
Russian
Outbound Ski
Tourism in 2018:
An Overview A look at the Russian outbound
ski market in 2018 covering:
The ski tourism landscape in Russia
A market overview
What Russian tourists look for in a ski holiday
How resorts can benefit from Russian tourists
How ski destinations are attracting more Russian tourists
Mitt.ru
12–14 March 2019
Expocentre, Moscow
The ski tourism landscape in Russia
It’s an exciting time The Russian outbound ski tourism The 2014 Winter Olympic Games following, the market has expanded
for international ski resorts looking market is showing sure signs in Sochi was a key moment at an accelerated pace with
to attract more visitors. of growth thanks to wider economic for winter sports in Russia, driving an increasing number of domestic
recovery. demand and leading to new skiers and improved attendance
domestic ski resorts. In the years at domestic ski resorts.
Demand for ski tourism The financial crisis of 2014-2017 bolstered the domestic ski industry
as Russian tourists who would ordinarily spend their winter holidays abroad
is on the rise and the chose closer and cheaper ski destinations.
potential for growth is huge
However, with the economy
improving leading to a
25% increase in general
outbound tourism in 2017,
the outbound ski market is
set to flourish as Russian
only and only skiers look further afield
3 17
Of Russia’s to satisfy their taste
140 %
currently
%
of them travel
for the mountains.
million ski, abroad to do so.
inhabitants,
12–14 March 2019
Expocentre, Moscow
Russian outbound ski tourism:
a market overview
Roughly
75 % 83 %
66 %
book via $
are skiers ski domestically travel agents Tourists using
travel agents tend
to spend more
than independent When do they book?
25% 17% 34% travellers Independent travellers decide on their
destination earlier than those who book
are snowboarders travel abroad are independent
travellers via travel agents, but leave the rest of the
planning closer to departure.
Growth of the market
The 2017/18 winter season was particularly Other resorts also saw impressive figures – Early bookings start in April-May, but the peak
strong for the outbound ski market, with Bulgaria’s Bansko resort saw a 45% rise of sales is from September-November. By the
all major Russian tour operators seeing in Russian ski tourists, reaching record end of December, as a rule, up to 90% of all
significant sales growth. numbers. tours for the season are booked, and there’s
a small tail – about 10% – from January-
The success of the season has led to
March.” – Jet Travel
renewed optimism for the future, with tour
Popular ski resorts saw growth of 15- operator Tez Tour opening bookings for
34%, with France, Italy, and Austria Ski bookings are always made in advance,
2018/19 earlier than ever before.
seeing the most dramatic rises in thanks to hotels’ early-bird discounts. Usually,
Russian tourists,” explained Maya around 70% of sales are made by the end of
Lomidze, Executive Director, Association November, while the remaining 30% complete
of Russian Tour Operators. in late February and March and are around
25-30 days before departure.” – Anex Tour
Mitt.ru12–14 March 2019
Expocentre, Moscow
What do Russian tourists look for
in a ski holiday abroad?
Russian ski tourists are looking for good food and drinks and
a comfortable stay. They expect good service and management,
and are very punctual and expect that of you. We have noticed that
Russian ski tourists are skiing less but staying longer – they love
to have spa treatments. It’s the whole package
for them.” – Nettravel, Azerbaijan
Criteria for choosing resorts include Demand is rising for all-inclusive Recently, Russian tourists have been guided primarily by price.
the variety of pistes, proximity to lifts, ski holidays that include ski passes, So around 80% of all package tours fit into the 700-1,000 euro per
standard of accommodation, resort equipment hire, ski schools, and full person bracket. However, they also tend to choose resorts of a high
infrastructure, après-ski, resort board standard, and save on accommodation.
height, and spa facilities
The standard of hotels varies greatly from country to country.
In France, Russian tourists mostly book self-catering, whereas in
other countries it’s mainly breakfast or half-board. Approximately 80%
of hotels our customers book are 3-4 star.” – Maxim Pristavko, Deputy
Director, Jet Travel
There are two criteria tourists tend to fall into when choosing hotels: they
are either mostly concerned by close proximity to the ski lifts and will pay
Family-friendly resorts; Russians are Demand is no longer centered any price for this, or conversely, they are mostly concerned by value for
travelling more with their children, on New Year holidays, it’s now money and proximity to the slopes comes second.
with 2018 seeing a 17% increase becoming more evenly spread over
in family holiday bookings the season from December They also expect good service on the slopes, quality pistes,
to mid-April and availability of ski schools, and are swayed by the availability
of swimming and spa facilities in the hotel.” – Anex Tour
Mitt.ru12–14 March 2019
Expocentre, Moscow
How ski resorts can benefit
from Russian tourists
Key times Longer length of stay
Not only do Russian winter holidays Russian tourists’ average length of stay is
occur at different times to European 10 nights – 2 nights longer than the global
holidays, Russian tourists are taking average, according to the Visa Global Travel
more ski holidays outside traditional Intentions Study 2018.
holiday times, making them key
to keeping hotel occupancy rates
high throughout the season. Russian tourists stay
for a longer period than
our customers from
the Balkan countries.
They don’t just come
High spend rates for a few days, they stay
for a period of around
Russian tourists spend on average 10 days.” – Bansko,
$1,676 per person per foreign Bulgaria
holiday, more than their European
counterparts who spend
$1,174, according to the recent Visa
Global Travel Intentions Study 2018.
This is expected to rise by a further
5% over the next two years.
Mitt.ru12–14 March 2019
Expocentre, Moscow
How ski destinations are attracting
more Russian tourists
Norway Kayseri, Turkey Bardonecchia, Italy
For the Russian market we are heavily Turkey has a close relationship with Russia Russia is not yet one of our key markets
promoting our biggest resorts SkiStar Trysil when it comes to tourism. Russian tourists but it’s a big country and they have a lot of
and Hemsedal. A new airport will be built come to Turkey for our beaches but the Ministry tourists interested in winter sports.
very close to the resorts so we’re interested in of Tourism is trying to divert them elsewhere
Italy is famous for its food. In Bardonecchia,
getting this traffic from Russia. to diversify and improve year-round tourism.
we manage five restaurants and we invest
The resorts provide a good product for Direct flights recently launched from Moscow a lot in the ambience, the space, and the
families; the slopes are good, there’s snow to Kayseri, so we held welcome events for the first quality of the food. We provide a very high
guaranteed, we have good safe slopes as Russian groups with singers and entertainment. standard of skiing and gastronomy, so it’s
well as a variety of heights. Most of the an all offer, something more than skiing.
We provide the highest level of Turkish hospitality
accommodation is ski-in, ski-out so it’s good We organise transfers from the base of the
and great food and have Russian speaking staff
for children; they stay on the slopes. resort to the top of the mountain where we
throughout the resort.
have restaurants – we have three snow cat
SkiStar has introduced a snowman character
Our resort is special because it combines vehicles to take people to the restaurants
Valle, who has become very popular with
winter sports with the cultural attractions in the evening when the lifts are shut. It’s a
children. He’s involved in many kids’ activities
of the towns of Kayseri and Cappadocia, so special experience.
at the resort.
it’s a great option for what we call “Cultural
For us an area where we are looking to
To tackle the low season in January and April, Skiing”. With very reasonable prices and close
improve is to have more Russian speaking
SkiStar introduced Valle weeks when families proximity to the international airport, the resort
ski instructors and staff. It’s crucial for ski
can get free ski schools, equipment and is extremely easy for international tourists. We’ve
instructors because you need to have complex
passes. This has massively increased tourist noticed from the beginning a high calibre of
conversations and explain the technical
flow. Russian tourists in Kayseri and the region and
details.
we’re sure we’ll see many more guests as our
popularity in Russia increases.
Mitt.ruMeet the ski world in one place at MITT 2019
12–14 March 2019
Expocentre, Moscow
A dedicated area for ski tour operators,
regions, resorts, hotels and service
suppliers to meet Russia’s top ski buyers.
Why exhibit at the Ski Village: Book your place
Stand out at MITT in a dedicated Grow awareness of winter sport Brand your resort as a premium tm@ite-exhibitions.com
ski area opportunities in your region world destination for the Russian Mitt.ru
market
Meet the right buyers including Let buyers find you more easily
top tour operators TEZ Tour, PAC Benefit from separate
Grow and develop relationships
Group, Danko, ANEX Tour, Coral PR and marketing support
with tour operators and agencies
Travel, Intourist Thomas Cook, TUI,
Biblio GlobusYou can also read
