About 900 thousand Russians plan to have a rest abroad during the May holidays.

From the end of April to May 12, about 900 thousand Russians are planning to rest abroad. This was announced on April 15 by the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).

"Tour operators see a 30% year-on-year increase in sales of foreign tours. Experts consider the strengthening of the ruble, the expansion of flight programs and the emergence of Vietnam in a number of direct flight destinations to be the main drivers," the report says.

The top destinations for foreign holidays will include Turkey (45%), Egypt (20%), the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (11%), Thailand (5.5%), Vietnam (4%). In addition, the rating includes Maldives, Abkhazia, China, sea cruises and a group of post-Soviet countries (primarily Belarus, Georgia and Uzbekistan).

ATOR notes that the lack of a negative background in geopolitics and a successful calendar configuration contribute to the growth of small vacations.

The Association added that the total number of trips abroad during the May holidays is expected to be more than 3 times less than in Russia (3.1 million).

On April 15, ATOR reported a 25% increase in demand from Russians for travel packages to the UAE for the May holidays compared to last year. In addition, the UAE ranks first in popularity in the Russian Express and Space Travel companies.