Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Tutu travel service together with TCH JSC sums up preliminary results for 2023 and talks about the most popular foreign air destinations. Among Tutu clients, the share of foreign destinations was about 15.5%, the majority of which came from neighboring countries.

The main demand among independent travelers who went abroad and issued tickets for tutu fell on neighboring countries. Last year they accounted for 11.4% of the total number of air tickets issued; in 2023, this share increased to 12.2%. European countries accounted for 0.5% of tickets issued (the same as a year earlier), and the share of non-CIS countries increased from 2% to 2.9%.

The average bill for a flight to neighboring countries over the year increased by 4% and amounted to 26,988 rubles round trip. The receipt for a flight to Europe increased by 16% - to 74,094 rubles in both directions. And for tickets to non-CIS countries, they paid on average 2% less than a year earlier - 49,912 rubles in both directions.

“In 2023, the share of foreign flights has increased. In 2022, the share of international flights in total sales was 18.5% for the market as a whole; in 2023 it will exceed 21%. For Tutu customers, international flights account for about 15.5% of bookings, up from 12.9% last year. The increase in the share of foreign destinations is due to the fact that Russian carriers offered more flights, and foreign carriers are resuming flights in Russia. In 2023, for the first time in four years, direct flights to Georgia appeared, direct flights to China and Hong Kong resumed, and flights to Vietnam are gradually returning. This dynamics allows us to predict further growth in flights abroad in 2024,” comments Denis Pokrasenko, head of air tickets at the tutu travel service.

Among Tutu clients, Uzbekistan took first place in 2023, last year occupying third place in the ranking. For a round-trip ticket they pay an average of 29,363 rubles - 2% more than a year ago. Next come Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and Armenia, which were in the top 5 last year. Among neighboring countries, the top 20 also included Belarus, Kazakhstan and Georgia.

Among European countries, the top 20 among Tutu clients in 2023 included Moldova, Italy, Germany, Serbia and Spain. However, in total, European destinations accounted for about 0.5% of all tickets issued through Tutu and about 2% of tickets issued to all foreign destinations.

“If we talk about overall market figures, the first and second places, as in last year, were taken by the Moscow-Istanbul and Moscow-Antalya directions. Even a significant increase in prices for resort holidays in Turkey in 2023 did not change their position. This year, Yerevan was in high demand among tourists, which, together with Istanbul and Minsk, also remains a popular transit hub for further flights to Europe.

According to TCH, Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada occupy the fourth and sixth positions. Egypt is a little less popular among tutu clients, but in general, Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada are still some of the most affordable and budget seaside resorts for Russian tourists, so it’s not surprising to see them in the top. The Moscow-Phuket direction made the expected upward leap. Thailand reopened to Russians at the end of last year, and this year, according to our data, it ranks fifth in the list of popular foreign destinations. The United Arab Emirates is popular. Tourists view Dubai not only as a destination for a beach holiday, but also as an option for shopping, as well as a transfer point for long-haul flights,” comments Tatyana Merkulova, vice-president and commercial director of TKP JSC.