Problems in paradise? Six countries most popular with Russian tourists – Politico

Despite Russia's war against Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens continue to eye popular summer vacation spots, or even shelters to wait out the war, but their presence is causing problems, Politico writes.

“Some countries are willing to accept Russian money, but this has its consequences. The policy of accepting tens of thousands of tourists from a rogue country is already creating problems in paradise for some popular destinations,” Politico reports.

Türkiye

As lazy travelers often write Türkiye is a country that divides East and West. This old cliché took on a new meaning after the war in Ukraine began; a NATO member country provides support to Kyiv and at the same time refuses to impose sanctions against Moscow, Politico reports.

As a result, much-needed foreign money was poured into Ankara as Russians seek to take their assets abroad. Turkey is also one of the few European destinations where flights from Russia are not prohibited. While the skies of the EU are closed, Turkish operators offer flights from Moscow to Antalya and Bodrum for as little as 130 euros.

Some even decided to stay - currently, 145,000 Russians have a residence permit in Turkey. Having avoided the political instability and the danger of conscription, they now share their new homeland with tens of thousands of Ukrainians who fled the war.

Journalists said that this creates tension in resort cities such as Antalya, which are popular with both Russians and Ukrainians.

Georgia

In 2022 alone, more than 1.1 million Russians visited Georgia, while a year earlier this figure was only 200,000.

"The ruling Georgian Dream party has been seeking rapprochement with the Kremlin since the beginning of the war and wants to benefit from Russians' desire to travel. However, many local residents are not sure about this," the article says.

In a survey conducted in March, only 4% of 1,500 respondents said Russians were welcome in Georgia, and a quarter said Russians were only tolerated because of the money they spend on visits.

Thailand

For Russians, the attractiveness of a trip to Thailand is largely related to the one-month visa-free stay in the country, writes Politico,

Over the past year, the number of Russians who visited Thailand has increased by more than 1,000%, says Bloomberg. According to official statistics, in the first half of this year alone, 791,574 Russians visited the country.

There has been a particular influx of tourists in the party town of Phuket, where almost half of all villas sold have been bought by Russians since January, either as holiday homes or as party spots where they can wait out the war.

Cyprus

A beach holiday in Cyprus has become out of reach for ordinary Russians after Cyprus followed other EU countries in banning commercial flights from Russia and just last year introduced a visa fee of 80 euros. This decision, according to officials, brought in an extra income of 600 million euros.

However, for those who can afford the expense, the cost of a flight from Russia with a short stopover in Istanbul or Yerevan is around 250 euros. Cyprus is also one of the most active issuers of the so-called "golden passports", which grant EU citizenship in exchange for an investment of only 2.5 million euros.

UAE

"Dubai is not to everyone's taste. But this playground for billionaires and its clean beaches have become a favorite vacation spot for many wealthy Russians, who are looking for a friendly welcome and the opportunity to spend huge sums in luxurious shopping centers," the article says.

Last year, the number of Russians who flew to the Gulf countries increased by 63%, making the UAE the second-largest tourist destination for Russians.

In the UAE, there is also an influx of Russian expats, who note that they feel more relaxed here than in Western countries, as there are no public demonstrations of support for Ukraine.

Ukraine (Occupied Crimea)

For Russians who have permanent jobs and limited funds to spend abroad, country houses and holiday parks remain the most popular option.

Read also: Crimean tourists leak position of Russian air defense system near Yevpatoria

Not long ago, many of them went to the occupied Crimean peninsula. Now, with a series of explosions at military facilities in Crimea, and Kyiv's insistence that the peninsula will return to its control, this worries many Russians.

With air services canceled, the only route to the peninsula is the Crimean Bridge, opened by dictator Vladimir Putin in 2018. This bridge has repeatedly been hit by Ukrainian troops, who seek to disrupt the passage of Russian military convoys.

As a result, despite active promotions and discounts, hotels are more than half empty on average. According to the owners, the situation is even more deplorable than the Russian occupiers are ready to admit.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine