Recession in Russia triggers 2015 tourist boom

As with all recessions there are winners and losers, this year the summer resort of Sunny Beach looks to be on the winning side as Russian tourist visas reach an early record high. One might assume austerity strapped Russians might curb their holidaying during difficult financial times, however this boom results from holidaymakers switching to Bulgaria to see their money go further.

With the Rouble buying half of what it did last summer, families with the same allotted budget for summer holidays are steering clear of Spain, France, Italy and booking  Bulgaria, Turkey and Egypt instead. Always favoured holiday hotspots for Russian, but this year receiving additional attention from higher earners who now have fewer viable options for their budgets in the high end Eurozone destinations .

Tour operators working with New Estate’s rental division, arendoo.com, report 28% higher booking rate for Bulgaria’s Black Sea so far this year. Repeat customers spending the same amount of Roubles for half as many Euros now opt for their closest, least expensive , most culturally similar hot climate – Bulgaria. For all Russians visiting Spain and France this year the ticket price will be double, affordable to some but not the majority.

2015 is set to be a sell-out summer, be sure you property is listed for rental to maximise your return.

If you own a property on the Black Sea and wish to generate income, speak to us about our fully managed rental service.  No hassle for you, no administration, no uncertainty and complete transparency: we generate the bookings, manage payments, place holidaymakers , clean and change the linen without any upfront fees or charges.

40,000 nights rented in 2014. See arendoo.com for further information.