Tourists increasingly opt for Kazakhstan and China as their destinations for May holidays
Russians are increasingly favoring extended escapades overseas, especially during the May holidays. In 2025, the number of Russians jetting off to other countries during this period surged by 11%, with an impressive 43% spike in international travel bookings. According to analysts from Megafon and "Sletat.ru," Turkey still reigns supreme among preferred destinations, but Vietnam has made a substantial leap forward, becoming the fastest-growing travel hotspot.
Residents of Omsk Province consistently demonstrate a sense of loyalty when choosing foreign destinations for their May getaways. Neighboring Kazakhstan welcomed 59% of the region's travelers, with a 58% increase in arrivals compared to the previous year. Turkey may be holding onto its top spot, though it trails far behind the leader—it attracted just 7% of all Russian travelers. Belarus lands in third place (3%), with China coming in fourth (a nearly two-fold increase in visitors compared to 2024). Egypt rounds out the top five destinations.
Turkey again claims the top spot as the most popular destination for Russian tourists overall, with 15% of all travelers opting for a trip to Turkey. Belarus follows closely with 12%, and Kazakhstan with 8%, with the United Arab Emirates and Egypt making it into the top five. Analysts from "Sletat.ru" calculated that 35% of all tour bookings were for Turkey, 18% for Egypt, and 9% for the United Arab Emirates.
An intriguing trio of destinations on the rise are exotic locations scattered across different continents: Vietnam—which saw an astounding 182% increase in tourist influx—Tunisia (which grew by 114%), and Jordan (up by 88%). The demand for travel to Vietnam skyrocketed by a whopping 5.5 times, according to "Sletat.ru."
African nations saw a significant uptick in Russian tourist interest, with a 40% surge in travelers compared to the previous year. Besides Tunisia, which saw the highest increase, other popular choices include Morocco (up by 67%), Egypt (up by 42%), and South Africa (up by 27%). Egypt took the lead among African destinations.
Vietnam's meteoric rise in tourism aside, Asian countries have garnered more attention, with increased interest in China (up by 65%), Japan (up by 52%), Singapore (up by 43%), Indonesia, and Mongolia (both seeing a 34% increase in visitors). It's worth noting that, less than a year ago, China and Thailand were neck and neck in terms of Russian tourist numbers (with about 30% of travelers choosing Thailand), but this gap has since widened considerably. China attracted 38% of travelers, while Thailand only attracted 23%.
Europe witnessed only a marginal growth in tourism—up by 4%. However, countries within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) saw a more notable surge, with a 22% increase in travelers. These countries, which had previously shown a decline, are now attracting more Russian vacationers.
In summary, the trend shows a substantial increase in Russian outbound tourism, with a shift towards more diverse travel experiences and destinations outside of traditional favorites. Stay informed by subscribing to our channel on Yandex Zen, VKontakte, OK, and My World.
- Particularly in Omsk Province, the preference for traveling overseas during the May holidays has led to an increased interest in exotic destinations, such as Vietnam, which experienced an impressive 182% surge in tourist influx.
- The 2025 travel trend indicates a significant shift in lifestyle choices, with an expanding interest in travel to Asia, as seen in the substantial increase in visitors to countries like Vietnam, China, and Japan.
