Young Russians Warm to River Cruises, Once Seen as a Retiree Pastime

River cruises, long dismissed as a holiday for older travelers, are drawing growing interest from young Russians, according to research by cruise company Doninturflot and the Prosto media holding. Analyst Margarita Gvozdeva shared the findings with Life.ru.

Among those aged 25 to 34, interest in choosing river tours is especially active, and the old stereotype of this kind of holiday as an age-bound pastime is gradually shifting. Some 58.3 percent of those surveyed see such a trip as sought-after retro aesthetics, while another 25 percent call cruises a genuine trend amid the rise of slow travel.

Half of the respondents said they would take such a trip with a partner for romance. A further 41.7 percent would go with friends, partly for the content it would yield. Only 8.3 percent would choose to travel solo as a way to take a digital detox.

For weekend getaways, young travelers favor routes along the Golden Ring - through Uglich, Myshkin, Yaroslavl and Kostroma - as well as along the Don. Longer holidays are popular on routes through the Volga region and the northwest to St. Petersburg. Those who love good food are most drawn to Astrakhan, Volgograd and Rostov-on-Don.