By Vestnik Kavkaza
The All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) has conducted a public opinion poll ahead of the summer season to find out where Russian citizens prefer to spend vacations this year. According to Valery Fedorov, Director General of the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center, the peculiar feature of season 2015 is that the majority of Russians would like to visit Crimea.
“Crimea has always been in the responses to the question, but it has never been in the lead. For example, 11% of respondents in 2005 noted that if they had a choice, and the necessary funds, they would have visited Crimea. Sometimes this figure reaches 13%, sometimes it decreases. For example, in 2012 it was only 6%. And now it is already 27% who would like to visit Crimea,” the head of VCIOM said.
He says that usually abroad was in the lead. “Ten years ago, 28% of respondents wanted to go there, sometimes this figure reached a maximum of 33-34%, but this year it is 27%, i.e. the average figure. We should not say that we do not want to go abroad. We would like to travel there, as it has been before. Just out of interest, the figure is not 33-34%, but a bit lower – 27%. But at the same time, there is no sharp fall. Despite their attitude to us, despite the imposed sanctions, we still want to visit a variety of interesting places abroad,” Valery Fedorov said.
Fedorov thinks that today the interest of Russian citizens in foreign resorts is balanced by their interest and desire to visit interesting and attractive places in our country: “Crimea is 27% and, in addition, the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus: Sochi, Anapa, Gelendzhik and also a variety of other interesting places. Interest in the Black Sea coast this year has increased. We cannot say the figures reached the maximum. The maximum was ten years ago – 31%. Now it is only 23%, but in comparison to the state of things one or two years ago, we see growth.
For example, 18% wanted to visit the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus in 2013. In 2014, about 19%, and now 23%. We can see the growth of interest regarding the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and Crimea. Crimea has vertical growth, and its rate of increase is just fantastic. The rate of increase of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus is more moderate.”
Speaking about the categories of Russians who would like to visit Crimea and the Caucasus, the Director General of VCIOM notes that “the peak of interest in Crimea is concentrated into two groups: the first is the 35-44-year age group. This is the peak of the form, it is our economically active population – 31% of those who would like to visit Crimea. The figures are a bit lower among residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg – only 21%. As for the Black Sea coast, the highest figure is 27% of those who want to visit within the group of Russians aged 35-44. In addition, the number of Russians with post-secondary and higher specialized education has reached its maximum – 25% of those who would like to travel there.”
