If you are looking for a bargain right now, Turkey is winning.
Data from the Turkish travel portal Türkrus confirms that for the May 1–9 period, Turkey became the most affordable destination for Russian travelers. This isn’t a fluke. It is a direct result of the lifting of the charter flight ban. Once that restriction vanished, the floodgates opened. Sales of package tours to Turkey spiked visibly.
How Much Does a Budget Trip to Turkey Cost?
Let’s look at the math. Prices have dropped so low that you can secure a full package for a fraction of what you might expect.
Currently, the average cost for a seven-day, all-inclusive package to Turkey is sitting at 23,500 rubles. Converted to US dollars, that is roughly $400.
This price includes return airfare.
To put this in perspective, compare May 2016 to May 2017. In 2016, the sales ratio for Russian tours to Turkey was just 1.5. By May 2017, that number jumped to 21.3. That is a massive shift in consumer behavior. People are moving their money away from domestic trips and toward the Mediterranean.
The Shock to Russia’s Domestic Tourism
The exodus isn’t just about cheap flights. It is destroying the local tourism sector in Russia.
Because travelers are flocking abroad, domestic tourism volume has plummeted. The share of domestic trips dropped from 24.4% to just 12.7%.
Here is the cruel irony for locals who prefer staying home: while international packages got cheaper, domestic ones got expensive.
- 2016 Price: A domestic package cost around 7,000 rubles.
- 2017 Price: That same type of trip now costs 9,500 rubles.
Why would anyone pay 9,500 rubles for a trip inside Russia when they can get an all-inclusive seaside holiday in Turkey for $400? They wouldn’t. Not unless they had to.
“Türkrus sitesinin açıkladığı verilere göre, 1-9 Mayıs tarihleri arasında Ruslar için en ucuz tatil yeri Türkiye oldu.”
The trend is clear. The charter ban lift changed everything. Prices in Turkey are low. Demand is high. Domestic Russian tourism is taking a serious hit.
Where does this leave the average traveler? The window for cheap deals is open. But these prices don’t last forever. Supply chains shift. Regulations change. If you are planning a trip, look at the numbers now. Act quickly. The market moves fast.
