Sales of river cruises in Russia have risen some 30% compared with the previous year, according to “Vodohod“. Company spokespersons confirmed this season’s river trips increased two and a half times as well.
Infoflot’s Karl Marx
CEO of “Infoflot” Alexander Saharov, told Interfax that sales growth compared with the same period last year amounted to 15-20%, and the cruise company “Mosturflot” reported cruise sales increasing to 15%.
Business has been so good in fact, that for the first time in many years orders for new river cruise vessels have increased. Russia 24 TV made a recent report outlining ocean going cruise ship construction for the first time in 60 years. The demand for river vacations is expected to prompt even further development in the industry.
Motorship KUPRIYAN of Nika tours was built in 2009 as VIP small luxury cruise ship yacht style.
Particularly attractive this year were the three-week cruise from Moscow to Rostov-on-don, water travel from Arkhangelsk to Solovki, from Moscow to Elabuga and St. Petersburg. The head of the Moscow division of “Nika“, Svetlana Timonina told reporters of this being the first time in many years for tour operators to revive cruises along Siberian rivers: so, in 2016 navigation on the Amur, Yenisei, Ob and Irtysh have been revamped.
