MOSCOW, November 26. /TASS/. Russians’ demand for domestic tours during the New Year holiday period has declined by an average of 10-15% compared with the same period last year, Executive Director of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) Maya Lomidze said at a press conference at TASS.

"Right now, as far as New Year travel is concerned, we are seeing a wave of reduced demand. For different companies, the decline compared with last year ranges from 20-30%, while some are even seeing slight growth. This depends on the scale of the company and the range of programs it offers. On average, our analysts have concluded that demand for New Year holiday trips within Russia has decreased by about 10-15%," she said.

According to ATOR, Russians have already purchased 75% of domestic tours for the New Year holidays. The most popular destinations are the Krasnodar and Stavropol Regions, Moscow and the Moscow Region, St. Petersburg, and Crimea. At the same time, demand for New Year trips to Crimea has risen by 30% compared with last year, despite an average price increase of around 30%.

Lomidze added that there is also a significant increase in demand for ski resorts. "A figure of minus 10% for New Year does not at all indicate a large number of vacant spots at those resorts that are highly sought after during the holiday period," she explained.