ATA Vice President explained the growing interest of Russians in winter holidays in Africa

Russians' tourist interest in the African continent is actually divided into two polar different parts. The Arab part of the continent includes Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Libya, with Cairo taking the undisputed lead. These destinations account for approximately 80-85% of all Russian trips to Africa. At the same time, the vast "black Africa" accounts for 15-20% of the tourist flow. Aleksan Mkrtchyan, Vice President of the Alliance of Travel Agencies of Russia (ATA), told Izvestia on January 26.

The expert stressed that the growing interest of Russians in Africa as a whole is connected precisely with the Arab countries, where direct flights remain. There are regular flights to Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, which makes these destinations popular and affordable.

"Among the sub-Saharan countries, Tanzania is of the greatest interest to Russians, primarily the island of Zanzibar. However, direct flights there are not expected in the coming years — there is no chance of their launch either this year or next year. A similar situation is developing with Kenya and South Africa, where there are also no prospects for direct flights to Russia," the source said.

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Ethiopia remains the only destination with direct flights to Black Africa, but it is also mainly used by Russians as a transit hub. Mkrtchyan clarified that about 90% of passengers arriving in Addis Ababa continue on to Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa or Namibia. Less than 10% of tourists stay in Ethiopia itself.

Speaking about less popular destinations, the expert noted that countries such as Congo or Zimbabwe arouse minimal interest among Russians due to security issues, and Namibia, despite its potential attractiveness, also has no chance of direct flights.

At the same time, Mkrtchyan gave recommendations to those who are still planning trips to the countries of "black Africa". He advises booking safaris in Tanzania and Kenya in advance, including visits to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Masai Mara National parks, as prices rise significantly closer to the date of the trip, and the availability of flights within the region decreases. The expert stressed that this is exclusively about photo safaris and animal watching.

He singled out Rwanda as one of the most vibrant and civilized destinations in the region, noting the unique experience of observing mountain gorillas in their natural environment. According to him, such trips must be booked several months in advance, but the impressions fully justify the costs. Tourists are also interested in Victoria Falls in Botswana and Zambia, which, according to the expert, impresses travelers regardless of the water level.

Analysts of the OneTwoTrip travel planning service told Izvestia on January 20 that Russians will be vacationing in Thailand at the end of winter — 17.9% of tourists who planned a beach holiday in February have already booked hotels there. A hotel room is chosen there for 13.7 thousand rubles per day, and the average length of stay is 5.6 days.

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