Tourists heading both south and most popular directions of the central part of Russia faced a shortage of rooms available. According to experts, more or less accessible places still remain those accommodating the premium segment and, conversely, the most budget options that don’t involve any amenities. But travelers, preferring rooms that can be rated according to 3- or 4-star hotels’ standards, faced a shortage.
The growth in demand for domestic tourism is associated with the current foreign policy situation, and with economic factors. For example, we faced difficulties with logistics and the rise in price of air tickets, as a result some traditional resort destinations, such as Turkey, have grown in cost 2 times. A significant part of the tourist flow changed destination, choosing domestic tourism, and travel methods, refocusing primarily on road transport.
According to some estimates, the shortage of tourist real estate in Russia is about 2 million square meters., and while maintaining the existing construction activity it will be covered no earlier than in 10-15 years, but there is the probability that this period will be less. So, interest in entering the tourism infrastructure market, judging by media reports, is expressed by a number of major developers, including PIK, Samolet Group of Companies, RKS Development, Alean Group of Companies and others.
At the same time, a number of companies that traditionally engaged in tourism and event business, opened a separate direction to attract investment in construction of facilities. For example, the largest ethnographic park in Russia the Ethnomir Museum has developed since 2006 only at the expense of its own funds from flow of tourists, and today it offers 18 hotels and guest houses for placement. But in 2021, the company started working with attracted investors and in such cooperation is already building a complex of 178 apartments made in the style of Chinese architecture. According to company representatives, such a step is aimed at speeding up construction, since a large flow of visitors to the park has already been provided, about 1 million people a year, and difficulties arise with their placement.
“We have an average summer occupancy of about 70%, and on weekends it makes 100%. Including due to private and corporate events. At the same time summer is a good indicator, but not the main one. Hotel owners have annual planning horizon, so we are actively working on filling all year round. For example, due to holidays and festivals, especially during the celebration of Maslenitsa – this is, one might say, our business card, explains Ruslan Bayramov, creator of Ethnomyr, explains.
According to analysts, there is especially a shortage of complex projects where different accommodation formats are proposed (apartments, townhouses, apart-hotels) with ready-made infrastructure: SPA, children’s entertainment program, cultural centers, equipped spaces for business tourism.