The expert named the most reliable payment methods abroad

Russian tourists are increasingly using a combined approach to paying abroad, combining bank cards, cash, QR codes and digital services. Tatiana Guseva, the head of Easy Payments, told Izvestia about this on May 12.

"Instead of one payment method, they choose several at once in order to reduce the amount of fees, the risks of failures and not run out of money at a critical moment," she said.

According to the expert, one of the most popular solutions is to pay through the Fast payment System (SBP). In a number of countries, including Turkey, Thailand, Egypt and Vietnam, tourists can pay for purchases in rubles through applications of Russian banks.

However, as Guseva emphasized, this method cannot yet be considered universal, since the conditions depend on the bank and the specific outlet. Cryptocurrency is becoming another payment option. In some countries, such as the UAE, exchangers and terminals for transactions with digital assets are available.

Voyaging behavior: family tourists began to save on a May vacation

They are trying to save the budget for a long summer vacation.

"Of course, cryptocurrency cannot be called a massive tool for tourists. Cryptocurrencies are not available everywhere, plus cryptocurrency as a whole is unstable and volatile, you need to be able to work with the blockchain and understand the nuances. But, as a backup option, it is quite possible to use it," the expert explained.

According to her, the main payment method abroad remains cards of foreign banks. According to the company's survey, more than half of its customers use them. Cash is used less frequently and mainly in situations where non-cash payment is not possible. However, they are not suitable for online purchases and bookings.

Russians also use Apple Pay, Google Pay, virtual cards, and UnionPay among other tools. However, some services face restrictions, high fees, and refusals when making payments. Among the main problems with payments abroad, the expert named high fees, rejection of payments and difficulties with replenishing foreign cards.

Earlier, on May 1, it was reported that the Krasnodar Territory, St. Petersburg, the Kaliningrad Region, as well as the Stavropol Territory and Tatarstan are the most popular places for Russian citizens aged 55 to 60 to relax during the May holidays. It is noted that the list of popular foreign locations for Russians aged 55 and over includes Turkey, Egypt, Vietnam, Abkhazia, China, Thailand, Maldives and Sri Lanka.