Travelers are starting to buy tours more actively under early booking promotions, but soon the discounts will go down. In February, the second stage of sales at reduced prices began. If you need a certain hotel in a popular resort, it is better not to delay, experts advise. However, there is another opinion - in the season special offers will still be available, now it makes sense to book only a limited number of destinations. First of all, Russia. On how the early booking campaign is held, as well as its pros and cons - in the material "Izvestia".
Turkey and Russia are in the lead
Now the greatest demand for Turkey and Russia, but travelers are also interested in exotics, tour operators say. For example, the company "Russian Express" has compiled such a rating of preferences: Turkey (34%), Russia (18.2%), Maldives (15.5%), UAE (13.2%) and China (4.5%). There is also interest in trips to Thailand, Vietnam and Egypt. In total for the current date the clients of the tour operator plan their trips to 38 countries in advance.
Turkey, Russia and Abkhazia are in the top three in "Intourist". Moreover, the demand for Turkey increased 2.5 times. Sales of summer tours to Egypt also increased 2.5 times.
In the press service of the PCT with reference to the data of agents and operators also reported an increase in sales of tours to Turkey for the summer of 2025 in 2-2.5 times compared to the same period in 2024. The press release cited the data of tour operator Fun&Sun. His statistics are as follows: Turkey (63% of total sales), UAE (13%), Egypt (7%), Thailand (5%), Russia (7%) and Sri Lanka (1%).
Other agencies have similar statistics. Thus, at the moment the top 5 destinations by the level of interest of "Sletat.ru" clients for the summer period of 2025 are: Russia (64.5% of total sales), Turkey (22.7%), Abkhazia (5.5%), Egypt (3.7%), UAE (0.9%).
The biggest discount
As a rule, the early booking campaign starts in summer, in August. It is from this time and until the end of January, tourists are waiting for the biggest discount and choice of offers. Moreover, the main sales on the campaign starts in January, after the New Year vacations. But in February and March the savings will be significant.
- Until the end of January, for example, you could book a tour with a discount of up to 60-70%. Since February the discount is less - up to 45-50%, - said in "Russian Express". - In March comes the third, final stage. With each - discounts are reduced by about 5-15%. At the same time, some accommodation facilities can close sales until January inclusive, when they reach the desired level of loading for summer dates, and someone extends the campaign until the beginning of April.
But the average discount is still less than 50% and even less than 70%, as a rule it is 20-30%.
- We have soft payment terms. When booking a tour, you make a small prepayment of 10%, the rest can be paid two weeks before arrival, - explained in "Intourist". Similar conditions are offered by other tour operators.
But the cost of rest is fixed, usually in dollars or euros, unless we are talking about tours in Russia and some other countries.
- Additional payment is made at the rate of the tour operator on the day of payment. That is, the final cost in rubles will depend directly on the exchange rate, but it is almost impossible to predict what it will be before traveling. Therefore, tourists should decide on full or partial payment based on their own capabilities, - explained in "Russian Express".
Experts also reminded that airlines offer lower fares if you buy tickets in advance. Dynamic pricing is in effect here. The cost of a flight is directly related to the load of the flight - the higher it is, the more expensive, as a rule, are the remaining seats. However, if the flight is not filled, the price can be lowered. On high dates for popular destinations such a scenario is unlikely, especially in the current conditions of limited air transportation from Russia, emphasized the experts of the tour operator.
The company added that it is better to book in advance any popular hotel or limited category of rooms, regardless of the country. During the season there may not be the necessary options left.
- High level hotels in countries where this period is the height of the season are filled fastest in the early booking campaign. For example, in Turkey, Cyprus, as well as in Russia at the resorts of Krasnodar region, - explained in "Russian Express".
Whether it is worth waiting to buy tours
However, in many destinations, the purchase on the promotion may not be so favorable. For example, according to Alexan Mkrtchyan, General Director of the Pink Elephant travel agency network, there is no special sense to buy tours to Egypt, UAE, Thailand, Cuba, Maldives in advance, as there will be sales during the season.
Besides, now there is another way to save money. Banks offer deposits at 21-24% per annum. If we take into account the traditional summer discounts on destinations whose high season falls in winter, it may be more profitable to invest funds with the subsequent purchase of a tour, experts say.
Another point is related to charters: flight programs are now just being formed, respectively, in the summer, adjustments are possible. For example, the replacement of the airline or withdrawal of flights from any city. There were such precedents last year. As the market believes, it happened due to underloading and inability to perform flights. For example, the Turkish airline Southwind canceled flights from Kaliningrad to Antalya due to the ban on the use of EU airspace.
In addition, for example, for a couple of years in a row Turkey has had the following situation: local hoteliers first raised prices, and by the beginning of the season, when they realized that there were not enough tourists, they lowered them. As a result, it turned out that some of the travelers who bought their trips in advance overpaid compared to those who booked trips during the season or right before it.
How much do tours abroad cost
Now, according to the experts of Intourist, in Turkey, the prices in euros of the season of last year are in effect, which smoothly increase by March.
- If we talk about Turkey, it should be understood that early booking is always relevant for the well-known in the Russian market hotels in Antalya and the province of Mugla, where closer to the season will not be the desired categories of rooms for the desired dates. Here you should not count on special offers and discounts before the season, - explained in "Intourist".
Now the average check is about 200-240 thousand rubles for two people. As it was specified in "Sletat.ru", to book a tour to Turkey for two people for seven nights with departure in the first half of June from Moscow and accommodation in a 4* all-inclusive hotel can be from 92,100 rubles, in a 5* hotel - from 129,800 rubles.
Vouchers to Egypt for two people for seven nights with departure in the first half of June from Moscow and accommodation in a 4* hotel for "all inclusive" cost from 122,800 rubles, in a 5* hotel - from 145,600 rubles. There is a high probability that prices will drop in the summer, as it is considered a low season and hoteliers traditionally give discounts.
Prices in the UAE for tours with similar parameters: from 175 600 rubles and from 184 900 rubles for "four" and "five" respectively, specify in "Sletat.ru". But even there in the season hotels will issue special offers.
The most economical among foreign destinations looks Abkhazia (however, most often it is considered on a par with tours in Russia). Now you can book a tour for two people for seven nights with departure in the first half of June from Moscow and accommodation in a 4* hotel at a price from 81,700 rubles. By summer, the cost is likely to rise, but it makes sense to wait until after the presidential election in Abkhazia and until the political situation in the country becomes clearer.
What to buy in Russia
The early booking picture for Russia this year is different from previous years due to the environmental disaster in Anapa. As "Izvestia" reported with reference to the tour operator "Alean", the rate of bookings for summer vacations in Dagestan, Kaliningrad region, Primorsky Krai, Baikal and Altai has increased. Demand for "non-Black Sea vacations" in general increased by 18%.
For example, according to ATOR, the demand for early booking of beach vacations in Dagestan by major tour operators - members of the association increased on average by 1.5-2 times, in some companies up to 2.5-3 times compared to January 2024. At the same time, vice-president of ATOR, general director of tour operator Dolphin Sergey Romashkin noted that unlike the Black Sea hotels, Dagestan hotels do not offer discounts on early booking, as they are confident in high utilization. But there are still discounts on sightseeing tours.
Alexan Mkrtchyan, speaking about early booking, first of all recommended to pay attention to our country.
- But I would advise to book only July, August. You can go to any destinations: the Black Sea, Kaliningrad, St. Petersburg, Dagestan. There are really good discounts if you book now. Closer to summer, prices will go up on everything, including airfare. Railroad tickets should definitely be booked 90 days in advance, then they will become more expensive, - said the expert.
It is worth now to be concerned about air tickets to the Far East, if there is a desire to go there in the summer. While flights are available at fairly low rates. For example, airline tickets from Moscow to Kamchatka and back could be found for 31 thousand rubles.
Sanatoriums are also usually bought up in advance. Especially since tourists who go for treatment usually need a specific health resort, and there are not enough places in them.
According to the estimation of "Sletat.ru", it is possible to book a tour to Krasnodar region for two people for seven nights with departure in the first half of June from Moscow and accommodation in a 4* hotel on a full board basis from 96 700 rubles.
Excursion tours to Dagestan, depending on the duration and program tour operators offer prices for 100 thousand and 320 thousand rubles for two people, but without the road. There are also economical options. Ksenia Andriankova, head of the Russian travel booking service "Thurslet", which is part of "Sletat.ru", said: "The cost of a four-day excursion tour to Dagestan in the first half of June starts from 27,900 rubles per person without road to the place, but including accommodation in an accommodation facility on half board, excursion and transportation services."
A week's vacation in Kaliningrad or the region for the summer can be purchased at a price from 50 thousand rubles for two people - even with a flight, but the living conditions are Spartan. It is better to expect to pay from 60-80 thousand rubles. A short three-day excursion tour to the Kaliningrad region, as Ksenia Andriankova specified, in the first half of June can be bought at a price from Br11,800 per person. The price is without air or rail tickets, but accommodation, local transportation, excursions and environmental fees are included.
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