Summer Destinations and Expenses for Families with Children - Insights from VTB and Tutu Revealed
Article:
Russian Families Plan Summer Vacations in Major Cities and Popular Domestic Destinations
According to recent data from travel service Tutu and VTB, the majority of summer vacations for Russian families this year are expected to take place in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and other popular domestic destinations.
Families with children will primarily choose St. Petersburg (20%) and Moscow (12%) as their summer holiday destinations. Other popular choices include Sochi (11%), Adler (4%), Kazan and Kaliningrad (3% each), with a minimal percentage opting for Gelendzhik, Sirius, Yekaterinburg, and Vladivostok (2%).
When it comes to international destinations, Abkhazia takes the lead with 37%, followed by Belarus with 28%, Italy with 7%, Turkey with 6%, and Georgia with 4%.
Interestingly, the presence of celebrities does not appear to be a deciding factor for many families, as 54% of bookings in Russia and 42% abroad are for hotels without stars. Instead, families prioritize smoking restrictions (34%), family rooms (29%), and the availability of washing and drying machines (26%). Other important considerations include nearby cafes (23%), children's playgrounds (18%), soundproofing (8%), and game rooms (7%).
According to Yury Vyushin, Director of Hotel Market Development at Tutu, "Families are more actively planning trips: the share of bookings for June-August is 24% compared to 13% last year. We see an increase in demand for hotels with 'child-friendly' infrastructure – playgrounds, menus, game zones, etc. Some booking services already add a 'family-friendly' tag to accommodation options to make it easier for parents to find suitable housing. The average cost of a night for a family of three this summer will be 7,000 rubles. Savings can be found in Mordovia, where the average cost of a night for a family of three has decreased by 55% compared to last year. Next are the Kamchatka Krai (-48%), Tyumen and Kirov regions (-36%), and Smolensk region (-31%)."
In addition to their travel expenses, children are increasingly making purchases using their bank cards. In the first five months of this year alone, VTB clients spent over 15 billion rubles on children's cards - five times more than last year. They made over 39 million purchases, with an average check of 383 rubles. Among the most popular expenses are supermarket purchases (6.3 billion rubles), fast food (1.4 billion rubles), marketplace orders (527 million rubles), and visits to cafes and restaurants (438 million rubles). The largest average check is for electronics purchases (3,500 rubles), tourist services (2,900 rubles), clothing and footwear (1,400 rubles), and pet care (884 rubles).
The most active users of children's cards reside in Moscow (4.7 million payments), Moscow Oblast (2.5 million payments), St. Petersburg (2.1 million payments), Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (1.1 million payments), and Novosibirsk Oblast (1 million payments).
Enrichment Data:
This summer, children in Russia are expected to participate in a surge of domestic tourism, with many families planning trips across the country amid ongoing infrastructure challenges, visa difficulties, and currency fluctuations. Popular destinations for family travel include nature sites like the White Sea-Baltic Canal and historical sites, providing experiential getaways for travelers. Russia’s tourism sector is experiencing a rebound, recording an impressive increase in international arrivals in 2024, despite geopolitical and economic uncertainties.
Russian families’ travel patterns align with broader global trends, with children increasingly using bank cards for purchases, enhancing their financial independence and digital engagement while supporting more autonomous, yet supervised, spending during travel and leisure activities. Parental control apps that allow setting limits and tracking expenses reflect an increasing emphasis on financial literacy and responsible spending habits for young consumers.
- As part of their travel plans, many Russian families are also considering utilizing their bank cards for shopping during their summer vacations, with VTB clients alone spending over 15 billion rubles on children's cards this year.
- For family-dynamics, Russian families prioritize hotels with family rooms, washing and drying machines, nearby cafes, children's playgrounds, among other amenities, when choosing their holiday destinations.
- Alongside planning summer vacations, Russian families are also engaging in domestic tourism, exploring various destinations such as the White Sea-Baltic Canal and historical sites, contributing to a rebound in Russia's tourism sector.
