Russian travel boom focuses on Thailand

[hanno]

Thailand is the main beneficiary of the recent surge in Russian outbound travel, a new report has revealed.

http://www.traveldailymedia.com/200539/russian-travel-boom-focuses-on-thailand/

[craigt3365]

Thailand did a joint visa agreement with Russia and a few former satellite countries several years ago. Not long ago, Russians were still being given 30 days at land borders.

I also heard Vietnam has a huge boom in Russian tourists???

[hanno]

Thailand did a joint visa agreement with Russia and a few former satellite countries several years ago. Not long ago, Russians were still being given 30 days at land borders.

I also heard Vietnam has a huge boom in Russian tourists???

Yes, big in the beach destination (Phan Thiet, Nha Trang), for a few years already. When I left my job in Phan Thiet 5 years ago, pretty much every menu in the restaurants was in Russian and everywhere you'd see really classy people walking along the main drag: overweight guys with no shirts but a 5-liter carton of wine in one arm, girl in Tanga in the other....Glad I left, not many of them here in Siem Reap.

[garyk]

I was talking to a tour owner a few days ago. His vans were full of Russian tourists. He said it was very good for his business. They travel, spent gobs of money on food wine and a good time.

He also said China has put a damper on travel. He said China very bad now!

So good for the travel industry for sure. Not sure why China is so bad? Anyone know the reason.

Cheers

Edited November 28, 2013 by garyk

[craigt3365]

Could be they tightened visa requirements? I'm pretty sure they did that for travelers a year or so ago. Much more difficult now to get a visa than it was in years past. At least from what I've read.

Here in Thailand, it's super easy for "Russians" to get a visa. And as we know, Utapao airport just south of Pattaya is where all the chartered jets land. I heard you can get a return flight with 6 nights hotel for $500 or so from various parts of the former USSR. Definitely not attracting quality tourists.

[keestha]

In June this year I spent one day in Pattaya. No signs in English anymore, only in Russian. Except on one occasion when I heard people speaking Dutch, the only language I heard spoken by tourists on the street was Russian.

[MrWorldwide]

In June this year I spent one day in Pattaya. No signs in English anymore, only in Russian. Except on one occasion when I heard people speaking Dutch, the only language I heard spoken by tourists on the street was Russian.

This vid is from Sept 24, 2013:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uBoXsyroFg

One of the 3 possibilities spring to mind -

1. The locals have changed every sign in Pattaya at some stage in the last 2 months, including franchises like Subway and 7-Eleven.

2. I have magically developed the ability to read Russian

3. You need to see more of Pattaya on your next trip

I strongly suggest you try Sois further away from Beach Road and Walking St.

Edit: even as the video ends and the photographer turns onto Beach Rd, I can still see signs in English. Where the hell did you do your 'research' ??

Edited November 28, 2013 by MrWorldwide

[hanno]

Agreed. I was in my least favorite town last month and the vast majority of signs were in Thai or English. There were a few signs in other languages, including Russian. I walked/jogged along beach road every day and I must have heard 30+ languages at least.

[MrWorldwide]

Thanks hanno - I look forward to being able to read most of the signs on my next visit to Patts in April.