Russia tour attracts more local tourists than ever

Russia tours aimed at clients from corporations and public affair agencies have been in place for several years but it is only now that trips to cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg are attracting leisure travelers.
After operating two tour packages to Russia and two other Eastern Europe countries accommodating 30 clients this summer, Perfect Tours Travel has introduced a nine-day package that takes in Moscow, Novgorod and St. Petersburg in the autumn and is scheduled for departure next month.
“It is a positive sign that we launched two expensive long-haul tours to Russia in the summer. Many outbound tourists to the U.S. and Europe book this package when being introduced to the new destination of Russia,” said Huynh Ho Phuong An, marketing manager of Perfect Tours Travel.
High costs and troublesome visa applications are major barriers to tours to Russia. Some travel agencies claimed that due to falling prices and positive changes in the Russian passport application procedure, local tourists who travel to popular tourist sites find Russia a worthwhile destination. Those who want to apply for a Russian visa must pay a fee of US$100 and send related documents one month in advance.
Saigontourist Travel Service Co. said they are now operating this kind of package due to an increasing number of leisure travelers since last year. Every two months it has groups going to Russia,
“The tour sales performance depends largely on airlines services, but carriers have offered incentives to local operators and flight frequency to Russia has inched up with lower tour prices, so that has made a difference,” Doan Thi Thanh Tra, marketing manager of Saigontourist, explained.
It costs over VND100 million for a tour to Russia a few years ago, but the price of an eight-day Russian tour is now only VND70 million, she added.
“Previously, customers would rather travel to five countries in Europe than to just Russia for VND100 million. Now that customers have changed their minds, we will focus on this new market”, Tra added.
In contrast, Vietravel and Fiditourist say it is not the right time for them to put more effort into promoting this tour program.
“We will promote Russian tours when the price falls a little more,” Tran Doan The Duy, vice director of Vietravel, said.