As China’s tourists scrap plans to visit Japan en masse amid an ongoing diplomatic feud, many appear to be pivoting to an alternative destination: Russia.
Chinese travel firms have reported a surge in Russia-related flight and hotel bookings in recent weeks compared with the same period last year, with analysts saying the country’s winter scenery made it a natural replacement for Japanese hotspots like the northern island of Hokkaido.
Russia hotel bookings made by Chinese travellers in the two weeks ending on Monday for stays in December were up more than 50 per cent year on year, according to travel marketing and technology firm China Trading Desk.
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Some travellers who had booked trips to Hokkaido – famous in China for its ski resorts and hot springs – were switching to Russia due to its similar climate, said Subramania Bhatt, the company’s CEO.
“For travellers who were originally considering Hokkaido for snow, winter landscapes and outdoor activities, it’s relatively easy to substitute with Russia’s winter products – in Moscow or St Petersburg plus the Far East or Arctic regions – because the climate and activity profile are quite similar,” Bhatt said.
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Fliggy, a major Chinese travel platform, said flight bookings to Russia over the past two months had nearly doubled compared with the same period last year. Fliggy is owned by Alibaba Group Holding, which also owns the South China Morning Post.