The Association of Tour Operators of Russia attributes this to affordable prices, the opening of year-round facilities, and the possibility of early booking accommodation.
The most sought-after check-in dates are December 28, 30, and 31. The most popular cities are Gagra, Gudauta, and Sukhumi, - ATO reported. On average, a seven-night stay in a three-star hotel in Abkhazia with three meals a day, including New Year's Eve, will cost 38,500 rubles for two. In Sochi, the cost starts from 46,500 rubles, excluding travel. Over 670 hotels and sanatoriums will be operating in the Russian resort during the winter. Their occupancy for the New Year is expected to exceed 90 percent. 300 thousand tourists will visit the city during the 11-day holiday.
China has become the only country to make a series of continuous dives with a crew on board in the area of continuous multi-year Arctic ice, the press service of the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported.
Russia and the United States will create a unified information system for studying the languages of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, including Dolgan and Evenki.