A study from travel analysts ForwardKeys has revealed flight bookings for arrival in Russia ahead of the FIFA World Cup are +50.5% ahead of to this point last year.

The study also indicates that outbound bookings from Russia are -12.4% behind with many Russians staying at home for the tournament, which begins this week and not going on holiday as usual.

A notable feature of the booking profile is that the current upsurge peaks around the opening matches. As of now, there is a limited advancement in bookings after the group stages of the tournament.

However, once the outcome of the group-stages become clear, a subsequent surge in bookings is possible for the latter knockout rounds, as fans return to support their teams.

VISA-FREE ENTRY

World Cup ticket holders must obtain a Fan ID, which grants them visa-free entry into Russia between 4 June and 15 July (the date of the final). This requires the holder to have left the country by 25 July, presumably allowing anyone coming for the final to remain in Russia and take a holiday afterwards.

However, deeper analysis of the booking data, focussing on the number of nights spent in the country, reveals the average length of stay is 13 nights, with overnight stays falling off to normal levels very sharply after the final.

This suggests that while fans are planning to use the World Cup as an opportunity to visit Russia, their real interest is in football, much more than in Russia. Forward bookings for ‘overnights’ in Russia for the whole visa-free entry period are +39.6% ahead of the equivalent period in 2017.

Additionally, an analysis of growth in bookings to Russia during the World Cup period (4 June – 15 July) reveals there are substantial uplifts in visitor levels from countries that have not qualified too.

Of the countries that have qualified, those with the greatest uplift in visitor numbers to Russia are (in order) Brazil, Spain, Argentina, South Korea, Mexico, UK, Germany, Australia, Egypt and Peru.

NON-QUALIFYING COUNTRIES

From the ones which did not make it to the tournament, the countries with the greatest uplift in visitor numbers to Russia are (in order), the USA, China, Hong Kong, Israel, India, UAE, Paraguay, Canada, Turkey and South Africa.

Meanwhile, European airports are set to benefit from the mini tourism boom to Russia with over 40% of visitors during the World Cup set to arrive via indirect flights.

The list of major hub airports with the greatest number of passengers to Russia, is headed by Dubai, with forward bookings to Russia 202% ahead of the equivalent period last year.

It is followed, in order by Paris, whose Russia bookings are +164% ahead, Frankfurt (+49% ahead), Amsterdam (+92% ahead), London Heathrow (+236% ahead), Istanbul (+148% ahead), Helsinki (+129% ahead) Rome (+325% ahead), Munich (+60% ahead) and Warsaw (+71% ahead).

Olivier Jager, CEO, ForwardKeys commented: “Regardless of whatever happens on the pitch, from a visitor perspective, Russia is already a winner.”