Unwelcome in Europe, here’s where Russian tourists are going instead

A certain high-level ski resort in France previously had the nickname “Courchevelski”? Back then – as recently as early 2022 – wealthy Russians came in their droves, bringing with them a healthy thirst for Cristal champagne and wads of cash to be splashed on the likes of Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Dior.

Not any longer. The war in Ukraine has had a dramatic impact on the way Russians travel – and the destinations they’re able to access.

Abu Dhabi has become a popular destination for Russians.Credit: iStock

A combination of outright bans, tougher visa requirements and sanctions on Russian airlines has meant that travel to western Europe – including premier ski resorts in France and Austria, honeypot cities such as London and Paris, superyacht havens on the French Riviera, and old favourites such as the spa town of Baden-Baden – has plummeted.

According to the travel analytics specialist ForwardKeys, Russian visits to EU countries in the year to date have been down 97 per cent compared with 2019, and down 93 per cent in the United States. (Russian travellers have never been a particularly significant market for Australia, with just 18,000 visiting in 2019, according to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. By comparison, there were 860,000 visitors from China in the 12 months leading up to September this year. Nevertheless, Russian visitors to Australia are also down 41 per cent on pre-COVID levels.)

But Russians still want to travel, and have increasingly set their sights on countries which offer easy access. Among these is Turkey, a country which, while always popular with Russians, has seen a significant increase in visitor numbers, with many resorts now even offering Cyrillic script menus. Abu Dhabi (which has the added appeal of serious bling) has seen a similar surge, while Thailand and Sri Lanka remain popular spots for Russians seeking a bit of tropical va-va-voom.

Less obviously, there has been an uptake in visitors to the island of Hainan, off the southern coast of China (a new best friend), as well as an increase in travel to the exotic island of Kish, off the coast of Iran (though this destination is now also likely to be off the table for the foreseeable future). Even North Korea – another Russia-friendly state – is reported to be building an extensive ski resort at Wonsan-Kalma, geared towards Russians missing those champagne-fuelled days in Courchevelski.

For the Russian tourist, the world map now looks very different; here are some of its more unusual highlights.

Hainan Island, China

Sanya, described by some as the “Hawaii of China”.Credit: iStock

Served by a variety of direct flights from Russia, and allowing its citizens to stay for up to 30 days visa-free, this tropical island off the southern coast of China has become an exotic alternative to the south-east Asian hot spots of Thailand and Vietnam. With its long sandy beaches and string of reasonably priced hotels, Sanya – described by some as the “Hawaii of China” – is the largest resort, particularly favoured by couples seeking a romantic getaway. Visitor numbers from Russia are predicted to have doubled from 100,000 last year to 200,000 by the end of 2024 – and they show no signs of slowing.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

More than double as many Russians visited Abu Dhabi in the first half of this year than in 2023.Credit: iStock

Russians seeking accessible alternatives to their opulent former haunts are making a beeline for the Persian Gulf getaway of Abu Dhabi, a haven for those seeking sun, sea… and shopping. Like nearby Dubai, Abu Dhabi offers a host of glitzy malls and sky-high hotels. According to the global travel intelligence platform Mabrian, more than twice as many Russians visited in the first half of this year than in 2023, with almost half of those opting to stay in five-star luxury hotels such as the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental. They like to base themselves in sought-after areas such as Corniche, Al Reem Island and Khalifa City. And if they can tear themselves away from their hotel extravaganzas (where alcohol is permitted), attractions take the form of the majestic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, works by Van Gogh, Degas and Pollock at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and the Ferrari World theme park, which boasts the fastest rollercoaster on the planet.

Kish Island, Iran

In the 1970s, Kish was mooted as a holiday hot spot for the rich and famous.Credit: iStock

Across the waters is another island – promoted as the “Pearl of the Persian Gulf” – boasting sandy beaches, coral reefs and an extraordinary past. Recognising Kish’s potential as a holiday hot spot for the rich and famous, the last Shah of Iran ordered the construction of a grand casino there in the 1970s – and, for a brief period, it was even served by Air France’s Concorde, which ran special day-trip flights there from Paris.

While the vision of the current regime – the Islamic Republic of Iran – is radically different, it too wants to see the island receiving more visitors, and has been actively wooing Russians. Numbers have been relatively modest, but with group travel made visa-free, Russians had – at least until very recently – begun signing up for tours of Iran combining historical sites such as Isfahan and Shiraz with a few days’ R and R on the beaches of Kish. One slight snag: though a little less strict than the mainland, on Kish, too, alcohol is banned. As elsewhere in Iran, women are also required to wear hijabs – and there’s a ladies-only beach.

Abkhazia, Caucasus/Black Sea

Abkhazia attracted more than a million Russians in 2023.Credit: iStock

Russians have always been drawn to the Black Sea, but with great swaths of it now out of bounds, options are limited. Step forward Abkhazia, a small territory offering a long stretch of coast, a Caucasus mountain backdrop and some stunning lakes. It was a favoured summer dacha (holiday home) territory for Soviet leaders Joseph Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev. Claimed by Georgia, Abkhazia is recognised by very few countries – but Russia, to the north, is one. The region’s proximity and affordability, coupled with the familiarity of Soviet-era resorts such as Pitsunda and Gagra, attracted more than a million Russians in 2023.

Wonsan-Kalma, North Korea

Russians yearning for those days (and nights) of excess in European ski resorts such as Courchevel, Lech and Kitzbühel may soon have somewhere else to indulge in a little wintertime conspicuous consumption: North Korea. A recent report in the Riga-based news portal The Insider disclosed that plans are afoot for the construction of a ski resort in the Wonsan-Kalma region which would cover 2.8 square kilometres and include 17 hotels. A delegation of Russians who visited in February was said to be impressed, and with Wonsan-Kalma a mere 350 miles from Vladivostok in Russia’s far east, the appeal is evident. That said, North Korea does not have a sterling record when it comes to completing building projects: the vast pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, a construction started in 1987, remains unfinished to this day. That Cristal champagne may be on ice for some time.

The Telegraph, London