Taras Fomchenkov
for EcoToutism Expert 
According to the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RUTI), the Russians started booking the rooms at camping and glamping sites for the upcoming New Year holidays at least 30 percent more often than last year. celebrations
The New Year holidays to celebrate the coming New Year’s Eve and Christmas will be long, they will officially last from December 29, 2024 to January 8, 2025. According to travel aggregators that are part of the RUTI, the Russians book the accommodations not considered as ‘standard’ hotels and inns more often for this winter tourism season than in previous years.
There are about 1,000 camping sites with amenities in Russia; these figures as of the end of the year are provided by the ‘Kontur. Focus’ database. At the same time, experts estimate that there are fewer fully equipped parking lots, about 400 ones only. The number of glamping sites was twice lower at the end of 2023, about 416, according to the information from an analytical study carried out by the Commonwealth Partnership (CMWP). The main similar feature between the two types of accommodation on vacation is that both camping and glamping sites provide outdoor recreation, but with different comfort, because glamping sites can ensure a vacation in de luxe suites and junior suites, and the camping sites’ room-services and landscape design differ from those at the glamping areas, that have walking paths, recreation and photo shoot areas, lighting and other things to create comfort.
As noted in the Ostrovok.ru online booking website, the most popular destinations for booking for the New Year’s holidays are the Krasnodar Territory, the Moscow Region, the Republic of Karelia, the Altai Territory, the Republic of Altai, and the Leningrad Region. According to the MTS Travel, the Krasnodar Territory accounts for 17 percent of the total number of hotel bookings, the Moscow Region - 10 percent, Altai area (the Altai Territory and the Republic of Altai) - 9 percent. The Republic of Karelia and the Leningrad Region have a share of 7 and 6 percent of the total number of bookings, respectively. In addition, there are both camping and glamping sites in the Kaliningrad Region (the share of bookings is 7 percent), and in the Republic of Dagestan (5 percent).
At the same time, it’s not cheap to stay overnight at a camping or a glamping site. According to the Ostrovok.ru online booking website and the MTS Travel, one night at a camping site costs an average of 5,650 rubles, up 18 percent compared to last year. As for one night at a glamping site, it costs an average of 9,300 rubles. It is interesting that the popularity of these types of recreation on the New Year’s Eve grows at a different pace. For example, YouTravel.me showed a 60 percent increase in the popularity of vacations at camping and glamping sites in the autumn tourist season and during the New Year holidays this year.
The popularity of camping and glamping sites for celebrating the upcoming New Year is explained by several reasons, says Sergey Pozdnyakov, head of Alliance Press Expert and an expert in tourism.
“Firstly, this is a popular trend today, both [camping and glamping] options are increasingly mentioned in the media. The beautiful photos from glamping sites go viral often and are used for numerous presentations. In addition, young people are gradually getting involved in tourism. For them, these types of accommodations are a way to differ from adults and be accepted as ‘one of the group’, so that the young travelers could say “we all belong here”. Of course, if they have enough money for such a vacation option,” the expert says.
And he adds that the cost of accommodation, especially at glamping sites, is often beyond reasonable today. “The price for accommodation, practically, in a ‘hut’ with amenities - albeit the ‘hut’ with panoramic windows to enjoy the amazing view of magnificent nature - starting from 9,000 rubles per night, in my opinion, is too much,” the expert summarizes. As for popular destinations for the New Year holidays without taking into account the accommodation facilities, the top three ones for the upcoming season remained the same as in the past New Year holiday season according to the TravelLine.ru hotel booking system, but their ranking has changed. Thus, Moscow that has been the top destination for the past two years accounting for about 22 percent of all hotel bookings was left behind by the Krasnodar Territory that almost doubled its share and hit a 23-percent level. Moscow ranks second now with its share of 20 percent, and St. Petersburg ranks third, having declined by about 2 percent compared to 14 percent last year.
