Child burden: demand for summer camp vouchers dropped by 15%
Parents are increasingly refusing to send their children to camps on the Black Sea coast, preferring options in their regions, experts from the tourism industry told Izvestia. The reason is not only the ecology of the Krasnodar Territory, but also the rising prices for transportation costs and travel packages — the cost of some has increased by almost a quarter. Experts report a 15% decrease in demand, and some camps are only a third full. Why schoolchildren have become less likely to be sent to summer camps and what is happening with children's recreation is in the Izvestia article.
What's going on with summer camps
Interest in health camps has decreased by about 15% compared to last year, the general director of the booking service for children's camps and tours told Izvestia. Incamp.ru Elena Ryzhenkova.
"Purchasing power is declining, so overall this year the demand for children's camps is lower than last year," she said.
According to Dmitry Gorin, Vice President of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (PCT), demand in some camps is decreasing by an average of 10% year-on-year.
— Now the load in many camps is from 30 to 60%, — he added.
But this season, according to the expert, people are not in a hurry to book at all — Russians do not plan their holidays in advance, but purchase tickets and vouchers shortly before the trip, so the situation may still change.
Elena Ryzhenkova also noticed this trend, although, according to her, the bulk of the vouchers for the most popular period — July — has already been implemented.
It is expected that this year 5 million 750 thousand children will have a rest in the camps — 250 thousand more than last year. But this is only a plan, Dmitry Gorin emphasized.
According to Elena Ryzhenkova, now children are increasingly spending their holidays in school camps.
"Suburban schools accept a little more than 10% of school—age children," she noted.
How the directions have changed
This season, part of the demand has shifted from the southern regions towards the middle zone, Evgenia Gvozdilina, an expert on outdoor children's recreation at Mosgortur, told Izvestia.
— Camps in the Urals, Tatarstan, and Perm Krai are becoming a little more in demand. This is due to both the specifics of logistics and environmental factors," she stressed.
Parents prefer to send their children to regional health centers rather than to Sochi, Anapa or Tuapse, Elena Ryzhenkova confirmed.
— The reason for the reduced interest in seaside holidays is understandable, so we are seeing a fairly steady demand for travel packages in the region of residence, — said the expert.
After the news about the opening of beaches in Anapa, interest in the resort increased by about 20% compared to last year, Dmitry Gorin said. But this is not real growth, but only a gradual return to previous indicators.
The tour operator Alean also informed Izvestia about a slight increase in demand for children's holidays in Anapa.
"Sales have increased due to the fact that the camps have received permission to use the beaches," the company's experts say.
However, there is still no talk of a full restoration of interest in the resort camps. Dmitry Gorin also confirms that the current trend is to relax near home.
— We are witnessing a more careful and rational choice of parents. This is influenced by the economy, transport accessibility, and geopolitical history," he said. — There is nothing surprising here, since tourists, unfortunately, face airport closures and some other issues. In such a situation, of course, parents often choose their region for their children.
The trend is also related to savings on transportation costs, Dmitry Gorin added. According to him, tickets, even taking into account special children's fares, increased in price by 5-15%. In addition, people prefer less complicated logistics.
Regional camps are often more affordable because local authorities or businesses where parents work can provide them with financial support measures.
Some send their children on vacation abroad. This year, China is in the lead, said Elena Ryzhenkova. But the Turkish coast is not so actively chosen for children's holidays, although in general Russians like to spend their holidays there.
— China has grown by 43% in terms of bookings this year. The price factor is also important here: a trip to this country can cost up to 200 thousand rubles, which is comparable to the cost of a vacation in Russia," she explained.
How much do vouchers cost?
Parents will pay about 80 thousand rubles for a shift in a camp near Moscow, and about 90 thousand rubles in the Leningrad Region, Elena Ryzhenkova said. In the Krasnodar Territory, the cost starts from 80 thousand rubles, excluding transfers from the region of residence.
The average check for a shift lasting from 10 to 21 days is 70-120 thousand rubles, said Dmitry Gorin, Vice President of the PCT. According to him, the cost depends on the region and the duration of the rest. Prices are lower in day camps, and in institutions that receive support from local authorities, the cost of a full-fledged 21-day shift ranges from 22,000 to 47,000 rubles.
According to the expert, prices for travel packages have increased by 15-25% this year, so families who used to send their children to the camp for two shifts are now more often limited to one.
According to Dmitry Gorin, parents have begun to pay more attention to the content of the programs and choose theme camps more often. Evgenia Gvozdilina also reported that wellness centers are gradually turning into educational platforms.
— Parents are increasingly choosing specialized shifts where the child develops useful skills. Language and IT directions, media, theater and creative programs, career guidance projects are in demand," she stressed. — At the same time, classical formats do not lose their relevance, but they are increasingly complemented by an educational component.
Another trend is the growing number of short shifts. If five or six years ago most programs were designed for 21 days, now there are many shifts from 10 to 14 days, Dmitry Gorin said.
Elena Ryzhenkova noted that the length of rest depends on the region. Two—week shifts are most in demand in the Moscow region, and three-week programs are in demand in the Leningrad Region. This is due to the current system of vacation certificates that working citizens can use.
Evgenia Gvozdilina explains the reduction of shifts for financial reasons.
"In response to the rise in the cost of vacations, many camps have started offering more short shifts," she said.
According to her, this format makes it possible to reduce the one-time financial burden on the family and maintain the accessibility of children's recreation.
Parents are increasingly choosing holidays for children closer to home and more carefully consider expenses. Previously, they were ready to send children thousands of kilometers away and buy vouchers for several shifts at once, but now they are more likely to choose camps near their homes, short programs and a clear budget.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
