Azerbaijan climbs into top five as Russian travel demand shifts

Azerbaijan has emerged as one of the five foreign destinations recording the strongest growth in demand among Russian tourists for autumn 2026, a study by travel planning service OneTwoTrip says.

The number of hotel bookings in Azerbaijan for the autumn season has increased by 18% compared with the same period last year, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

Greece recorded the sharpest rise in demand, with hotel bookings jumping 109%. Cyprus followed with a 100% increase, while Serbia and Türkiye posted gains of 75% and 60%, respectively.

Meanwhile, Russian travelers showed significantly less interest in several traditional European destinations. Hotel bookings in Spain fell by 82%, followed by declines of 73% in Germany, 65% in France and 59% in Italy. Demand for hotels in the United Arab Emirates also dropped by 74%.

Experts attribute the shifting travel preferences to a growing focus among Russian tourists on accommodation costs, transport accessibility and visa requirements when selecting international destinations.

By Vafa Guliyeva