TBILISI, September 17 – Nearly one in four Russians plans to spend the upcoming New Year holiday in Georgia, Armenia, or the Baltic states, according to a new survey published by Russian travel service Kupibilet and reported by TASS.
The poll of more than 1,500 people found that 24% were choosing those nearby destinations, while over 40% preferred to stay within Russia. Asian hotspots like Thailand, Vietnam, and the Maldives were also popular, with 13% aiming to head there.
Most travelers said their budgets had not changed from recent years. About half expected to spend between 100,000 and 150,000 rubles (roughly USD 1,200 to 1,800), while 42% planned to cap their spending at 50,000 rubles (about USD 600).
Georgia’s profile as a holiday spot for Russians has grown quickly. This past summer, bookings by Russian tourists to Georgia were up 37% compared to 2024, putting it behind only Armenia, up 55%, and Kazakhstan, up 64%. For comparison, demand for Kyrgyzstan rose 27%, Uzbekistan 16%, France 21%, Spain 15%, and Italy 5%.
Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia, topped the summer list of post-Soviet destinations, with bookings tripling from a year earlier. Belarus and Turkey also ranked high thanks to visa-free entry and easy transport links.
