You see, it’s already a tradition. It so happens that every December we tell you what the outgoing year was like for our favorite travelers: which cities and countries they traveled to most often, which housing they chose, and what they valued above all when planning their vacation. Well, are we watching?
Content
- Where did you go the most
- Which housing did you choose
- How to save money on living with GURU
- What’s new on the Island
Where did you travel the most
Abroad
Wins by a wide margin… The Republic of Belarus! This is not surprising: it is easy to get there from the European part of Russia, including by car, the prices are adequate, there is something to see — one medieval Nesvizh Palace is worth it.
Top 10 countries
For clarity, here is the entire list of the most popular destinations:
- Belarus,
- Turkey,
- Abkhazia,
- Thailand,
- Georgia,
- Uzbekistan,
- UAE,
- Kazakhstan,
- Armenia,
- Italy.
The top 10 vacation destinations include Thailand, beloved by Russians, as well as Georgia, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Armenia and, suddenly, Italy – even the euro exchange rate for 100 rubles could not stop lovers of gelato, Chianti and Florentine steaks.
Belarus wins by a wide margin among foreign destinations. Photo: George Trumpeter/Shutterstock.com
If we look at the context of foreign cities, the leaders are Minsk, Istanbul, Yerevan, Dubai and Brest. Travelers also often chose Tbilisi, Gagra, Grodno, Tashkent and Baku. Yes, as many as three Belarusian cities entered the top 10 at once! In general, it is expected that at the beginning of the rating there were destinations that are easily accessible by direct flight or by car from Russia, and where a visa is not needed.
Top 10 cities abroad
- Minsk,
- Istanbul
- Yerevan,
- Dubai,
- Brest,
- Tbilisi,
- Gagra,
- Grodno,
- Baku.
Across Russia
There were no surprises here: hotels and apartments in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sochi, the country’s main resort, were most often booked on the Island. Kazan, Kaliningrad, Nizhny Novgorod, Krasnodar and Rostov-on-Don are among the top 10 cities, followed by Yekaterinburg and Anapa. In the past year, there have been many trips to the small towns of the Golden Ring: the Moscow and Yaroslavl regions were on horseback.
Kazan is one of the most popular cities for trips in 2024. Photo: Viacheslav Lopatin/Shutterstock.com
There are also places where people began to travel much more: the number of bookings in Kamchatka and the Amur region increased by 22% and 23%, respectively. Kamchatka traditionally attracts trekking and surfing enthusiasts, but the Amur Region has not yet gained the status of a tourist Mecca, and in vain: the Vostochny cosmodrome, petroglyphs and a dinosaur deposit await travelers there.
Top 10 cities in Russia
- Moscow,
- Saint Petersburg,
- Sochi,
- Kazan,
- Kaliningrad,
- Nizhny Novgorod,
- Krasnodar,
- Rostov-on-Don,
- Yekaterinburg,
- Anapa.
Which accommodation did they choose
Our travelers stayed in hotels most often (more than 63%), apartments and guest houses were also popular: 14% and 5% of tourists booked them, respectively. Four- and three-star options (30% each) were particularly in demand among hotels. Fives and two-star hotels were chosen less frequently by 10% and 5% of users.
How to search for hotels
So that travelers can find the perfect hotel or apartment and not go crazy with the abundance of offers, the Island has filters and search functions on an interactive map. However, there are also a lot of filters — 50+, but they all help to narrow down as much as possible.the issue.
Ostrov’s analysts checked which ones you used most often. Here are the top 10 popular filters.:
- price;
- type of accommodation: hotel;
- type of food: breakfast;
- bathroom in the room;
- type of accommodation: apartment;
- rating: 8-9;
- parking;
- internet;
- type of accommodation: apartment hotel;
- pool.
First of all, the accommodation was ranked by price, availability of breakfast and bathroom in the room. The rating of a hotel or apartment was also important — preferably an 8 or 9 on a ten-point scale. The stardom of the hotel did not interest the users so much. Ratings and reviews seem to have the most impact on deciding where to stay on your next vacation. Personal experiences, opinions, and stories of previous guests are often more valuable at the selection stage than what the hotel declares itself to be.
Parking space, internet, swimming pool and the possibilityto stay with pets were also among the most used filters. It looks like you’ve started traveling with pets more often. More and more hotels welcome cats and dogs and are even ready to take care of them: to cut their hair, take a walk and entertain (however, for a fee).
More and more hotels welcome cats and dogs and are even ready to take care of them. Photo: Kokosha Yuliya/Shutterstock.com
What reviews have you left
Our travelers especially enjoy sharing positive experiences. Last year, every 10th guest wrote a review at least once, and it warms our hearts that more than half (56%) rated their vacation at the maximum, 10 out of 10. Another 17% of users gave a nine, and 9% gave a score of 8.
By the way, if you still haven’t left feedback on your 2024 trips on the Island, hurry up to do it before January 31 inclusive.: We will select and reward 6 of the most responsive travelers! The carriage will turn into a pumpkin at 23:59 Moscow time.
How we saved on living with GURU
On average, each user saved 1,662 rubles, or about 12% from one booking, thanks to GURU. That’s if you add them all up: beginners and seasoned travelers with a GURU 4 level who have made more than 12 bookings and can expect discounts of up to 40%.
The average cost of booking on the Island in 2024 is 14,449 rubles.
On average, each user saved 1,662 rubles, or about 12% from one booking, thanks to GURU.
How does GURU work
The discount amount depends on the number of bookings made. There are four levels in the program:
- GURU 1 — discounts from 10%, discount on hotels abroad from 5%. It’s enough to log in.
- GURU 2 — discounts up to 15%, after two completed bookings.
- GURU 3 — discounts up to 20% and priority support, after four bookings.
- GURU 4 — discounts up to 40% and priority support. It opens after the 12th trip.
Bonuses in hotels
In the fall of 2024, hotel bonuses were added to the program. These are paid services that our GURUS can receive for free. Breakfast as a gift, room upgrade, early check—in and late check-out, spa and parking – these and other benefits are now available to those who have made at least two trips on the Island. That is, those who have just signed up for the service are separated from the coveted bonuses by very little. It’s time to plan a new journey — in the new year 2025!
What’s new on the Island
In the outgoing year 2024, our users received an updated service: Ostrovok.ru It will turn into an Island, and the website, application, social networks and blog will dress up in a juicy green shade of Mojito and blue Ultramarine. As part of the rebranding, the concept of “Oh!Moments” — vivid impressions that travel gives. The letter “O” (O is equal to an Island) filled billboards, TV screens and smartphones.
As part of the rebranding, the concept of “Oh!Moments” — vivid impressions that travel gives.
In 2025, the Ostrovka team wishes for endless expanses for trips and material benefits in order to realize their wildest travel dreams! Let’s conclude this toast with a quote from the famous Soviet film: “So let’s drink to the fact that our desires always coincide with our capabilities.”
