Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

52% of Russians stayed at home during their summer vacations and spent an average of 8208 rubles per person.

MOSCOW, September 21, 2011. Russian Public Opinion Reach Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing where Russians spent their summer vacation; how they assess their vacation, as well as how they organized their trip.

As before, most of Russians spent this summer vacations at home (52%).  They are basically rural area residents (64%) and elderly Russians (63%). Dachas is more and more popular among Russians as a summer destination (from 14% in 2008 to 21% currently). As usual, the share of those who travelled to other cities of Russia is not so big (8%), as well as the shares of those who went to the Black Sea coast (7%), Crimea (2%), other destinations of the former USSR`s territory  (2%), beyond its territory (5%), or Baltic States (1%).

The overwhelming majority of respondents who traveled somewhere during their vacations are satisfied with their summer holidays (91%).  Those respondents who spent their holidays at home or at dachas are less satisfied (45%, a year ago – 50%).

As before, those Russians who did not enjoy their holidays name the lack of the possibility to go where they want as the main reason of their dissatisfaction (52%, a year ago – 42%). The shares of those who complain about the lack of time, (6%), weather conditions (5%), high prices (3%), not appropriate company (2%), poor organization of the trip by travel agency or poor quality service  (1% for each group) have considerably decreased. Respondents also marked lack of money, need to work and health problems (34%) among other reasons.

The average amount of money spent for summer vacation (per person) makes up 16759 rubles this year which is 9% more than the sum spent a year ago. This is a maximum over the entire period of measurement (to compare: in 2010 the sum made up 5%). At the same time, those who stayed at home during vacations spent about 8208 rubles, while those who travelled spent 21481 rubles. 

Respondents who travelled somewhere this summer organized their trip on their own (76%). Twenty-two percent of respondents turned to travel agencies: 5% entrusted part of tasks organizing the trip (for example, visas); 17% entrusted agencies with organizing the whole vacation.   Those who organized their vacations on their own are respondents with low level of income (85%); those who applied to the agencies are basically Russians with high level of income (28%).

 

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted September 17-18, 2011. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

Where did you spend your summer vacation? (close-ended question, any number of answers)

 

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Dacha

21

16

17

15

14

15

17

21

Black Sea Coast (Russia)

7

7

7

7

7

7

7

7

Crimea

3

2

1

1

1

1

1

2

Baltic States

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

Other city, village (Russia)

7

8

9

7

10

9

8

8

Other places within the former USSR`s territory

2

2

3

2

2

2

2

2

Beyond the former USSR`s territory (abroad)

3

2

1

3

2

3

2

5

Home

60

68

63

65

62

64

62

52

Hard to tell

1

1

1

3

4

2

3

7

 

Are you satisfied with the way you spent your summer vacations this year?

 (close-ended question, one answer, % of those who travelled somewhere)

 

2004  

2005  

2006  

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Yes

88

85

83

88

85

88

87

91

No  

11

15

16

12

12

11

11

8

Hard to tell

1

1

1

1

2

1

2

1

 

Are you satisfied with the way you spent your summer vacations this year?

 (close-ended question, one answer, % of those who spent vacation at home or at dacha)

 

2004 г

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010  

2011  

Yes

37

44

58

43

48

52

50

45

No  

51

46

38

40

42

41

41

43

Hard to tell

12

10

4

16

9

8

9

13

 

If you are not satisfied with your vacation, can you tell us why? (close-ended question, any number of answers, % of those who are not satisfied with the way they spent their summer)

 

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011  

I could not go where I wanted  

49

54

44

37

36

45

42

52

I had problems with the organization of the trip (travel agency let me down, flight was cancelled et cet.)  

1

1

1

2

2

1

0

1

The place where I travelled was very expensive  

4

4

4

2

3

4

5

3

Bad service

1

1

2

1

1

2

3

1

Vacation was too short

6

10

9

4

7

11

7

6

Not appropriate company

2

2

4

2

2

3

1

2

Poor weather  

7

4

6

3

14

7

10

5

Other circumstances (lack of money, health problems, family reasons)   

20

26

36

26

28

21

22

34

Hard to tell

20

6

4

29

17

14

19

5

 

Could you estimate the average amount of money spent for this summer vacation (per person)?

 (open-ended question, one answer, average in rubles)

 

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Average amount

14.244

15.046

14.498

15.338

16.759

Increase compared to previous year, %

-

5%

-4%

5%

9%

 

 

Could you estimate the average amount of money spent for this summer vacation (per person)?

(open-ended question, one answer, average in rubles)

 

Who stayed at home

Who stayed at dachas

Who travelled somewhere

Average amount

8208

9168

21481

 

 

How did you organize your trip: on your own (tickets, hotel reservation, visa et cet.) or through travel agency? (close-ended question, one answer, % of those who travelled somewhere)

Total respondents

Financial self-assessment

Very good, good

Average

Bad, very bad

Completely on my own

76

66

78

85

Entrusted to travel agency part of tasks (f.e. visas, tickets), the other part was done by me

5

5

4

5

Entrusted to travel agency the organization of the entire trip

17

28

16

8

Hard to tell

2

1

2

3

 

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

 

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