Turkey Leads Autumn Travel Demand as Egypt, Vietnam, and China Gain Ground

Russian tour operators are reporting steady demand for international trips this autumn, with Turkey remaining the top choice while Egypt, Vietnam, and China show notable sales growth, according to the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RST).

The union said that booking services and tour operators within its network have seen a significant increase in tour sales to these destinations for the velvet season—typically running from early September to mid-October. Data from the service Sletat.ru shows demand for trips during this period is 7.5% higher than last year, with Turkey accounting for a large share of bookings. Egypt, Vietnam, and Abkhazia are also performing better than in 2025, while China saw a 58% jump in sales and the Maldives rose 16%.

Daria Domostroeva, public relations director for Intourist, noted that Turkey's leading position is expected, as it traditionally dominates until mid-October, representing at least 60% of all sales. She added that Egypt is popular due to its off-season pricing, Thailand picks up from mid-October, and Vietnam is increasingly seen as a year-round destination. Meanwhile, the online hotel booking service Ostrovok listed Belarus, Turkey, Abkhazia, Uzbekistan, and Georgia as its top five autumn destinations.