The market for suburban accommodation facilities in Russia is showing steady growth, largely due to an increase in domestic tourist flow. According to current data, the volume of domestic tourist trips has grown by 10% over the past year, reaching 242 million overnight stays in 2024. This trend is supported by government measures, including preferential lending to tourism projects through Дом.рф and tax preferences – simplified taxation system (STS), and patents for objects in tourist clusters.
It is important to understand that the opening of a country apart-hotel requires significant investment. According to the Vetvihome analytics department, the creation of an object with 20 rooms costs an average of 100-150 million rubles, depending on the region. A prerequisite for legal work is registration in the Unified Federal Register of Tour Operators and Accommodation Facilities. Attracting professional management companies (MC) helps to improve management efficiency. The real profitability of successful premium projects, according to industry consultants, is in the range of 9-16%, and the payback period is estimated at 5-7 years.
The key success factor in the construction of a country apart-hotel remains the choice of location. As a rule, the greatest demand is for objects within a two-hour drive from million-plus cities, primarily Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as in developed tourist regions such as Krasnodar Territory, Altai and Karelia. Transport accessibility is critical for guests. Modern solutions can provide economic efficiency. For example, modular construction technologies can provide a potential reduction in construction costs by 20-30%. It is worth noting that the introduction of environmental technologies is in demand among audiences under 40 and is becoming an important additional factor for attracting visitors of this age group.
When organizing the infrastructure of a modern country hotel, there are a number of necessary elements. It is impossible to imagine a modern country hotel without parking with a sufficient number of parking spaces, high-speed Internet, coworking spaces. Growing popularity among guests belongs to wellness services, for example, spa, and thermal baths. Infrastructure for families with children remains in high demand – play areas, animation, and eco-activities such as thematic trails, and master classes. Restaurants with a focus on local cuisine and farm products enhance the attraction of the facility.
The presence of additional infrastructure elements and high-quality service help improve occupancy rates. In addition, the occupancy rate of country hotels depends on seasonality and location. In resort areas, as in Sochi, high summer load decreases in the offseason. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, the indicators are more stable and seasonal fluctuations are not felt so noticeably, largely due to business and event tourism. Operators use dynamic pricing and special offers to smooth out seasonal fluctuations. Partnerships with online aggregators provide a significant share of bookings, and adaptation to the needs of guests combining work and leisure contributes to an increase in demand.
Summing up, we can conclude that the segment of suburban apart-hotels in Russia is developing, and in the coming years we predict a significant increase in the number of suburban apart-hotels, not only in the Moscow region, but also in St. Petersburg, Leningrad region and Krasnodar Territory. Inflationary pressure and a shortage of qualified personnel remain challenges for the industry. Success in the competitive landscape of suburban hotels will be determined by the uniqueness of the concept, operational management efficiency, and adaptation to technological innovations such as AI-powered systems for demand forecasting and revenue management. In the medium term, competition will continue between network operators increasing their presence and niche players focusing on specialized formats.
By Irina Koltsova, founder and CEO of Vetvihome