Winter Tourism Trends 2025-2026: Where the Market is Heading and What Businesses Should Consider
Russians are increasingly planning for the 2025-2026 winter season, and experts are recording a rise in interest in both domestic and international destinations.
Growing interest in ski, wellness, and combination tours is creating new demand for high-quality infrastructure and partnership programs. Winter tourism is becoming one of the industry's drivers, and the robust demand for New Year's travel offers businesses opportunities to scale up and promote regional products.
New Year's: Where will Russians go for the holidays?
According to Lenta.ru , Russians began booking hotels for the long New Year's holidays back in the fall. Among the leaders are southern Russia, Asia, and the Middle East .
According to Yandex Travel , the number of early winter bookings increased 2.4 times compared to last year. The most popular destinations were Krasnodar Krai, Karachay-Cherkessia, and Kaliningrad Oblast , while Thailand, Belarus, Turkey, the UAE, and Italy led the international travel market .
For those seeking a festive atmosphere closer to home, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) has compiled its top destinations within Russia:
// Saint Petersburg is a New Year's classic with excursions, theaters, and embankment lights.
// Kaliningrad – Christmas markets and the Baltic coast with a European feel.
// Veliky Ustyug – a journey to the home of Father Frost, where demand traditionally exceeds supply.
// Karelia – relaxation amidst northern nature, culinary discoveries, and a digital detox.
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According to the Othello service , the top five most popular cities remain Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sirius, Kaliningrad, and Kazan . Nearly 40% of tourists prefer a relaxing vacation—in spa hotels, country resorts, and sanatoriums—while one in eight chooses the beach, excursions, and active tours.
Winter tourism: active, health and natural
Winter isn't just about holidays. November marks the start of the ski season , and according to Kommersant , tours to popular destinations are actively booked. Krasnaya Polyana remains the leader (accounting for over 40% of all New Year's bookings), but interest in the resorts of Arkhyz, Dombay, and Elbrus is also growing .
According to tour operator Alean , more and more Russians are choosing wellness tourism. Caucasian Mineral Waters leads the way with 71% of bookings, followed by resorts in the Urals, Siberia, and the Krasnodar Krai . The Moscow region, Ryazan, and Tula regions are also popular , offering a combination of winter walks and rejuvenation.
Lenta.ru also notes interest in destinations where one can enjoy nature:
// Sochi and Anapa are year-round resorts where you can walk without crowds and visit sanatoriums in winter;
// Karelia - trips to the northern Father Frost and dog sled safaris;
// Baikal , according to an expert from the "Turslet" service , has remained a hit in recent years. From February to March, the ice is especially clear, and tourists can enjoy "Khivus" ice skating, ice skating, and an ice sauna.
At the same time, as Kommersant notes, demand for European destinations has grown by approximately 40% , largely due to the strengthening of the ruble and the expansion of routes through the CIS countries.
According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), the top three outbound destinations for winter 2025-2026 include:
// Egypt - stable prices and growth of charter programs;
// Thailand - a combination of beach holidays and cultural routes;
// Vietnam is the new favorite of the season thanks to affordable prices and expanding transportation.
The top five also included the UAE and China , where tourist flow has been growing since the introduction of a visa-free regime, especially to Hainan Island.
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According to Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), the Maldives and Seychelles remain the most popular exotic destinations. In 2024, the Maldives welcomed 225,000 Russian tourists , setting a historic record. Cuba remains a popular destination : according to the country's Ministry of Tourism, 185,000 Russians visited the island , an 8% increase from the previous year.
Winter and New Year Tourism Trends 2025-2026
Tour operators note that winter tourism is increasingly expanding beyond the classic vacation. The following are gaining popularity:
// Early booking – tour operators note that good deals disappear by October;
// Health tourism – more and more tourists choose a relaxing holiday in spa hotels and resorts all year round;
// Traveling around Russia – Russians plan trips to both consistently popular destinations (Sochi, Kaliningrad) and those that are gaining popularity (Karelia, Murmansk);
// Exotic destinations such as the Maldives, Seychelles, and Cuba remain popular holiday destinations for Russians.
MITT: Where trends are formed
Russia's leading tourism exhibition, MITT 2026, will bring together representatives of the tourism industry from around the world. Here, trends for the upcoming season are identified, new routes are presented, and partnerships are established between regions, airlines, tour operators, and hotels.