Mass tourism is “killing” resorts, and now it is no longer just a discomfort, but a problem on a global scale, which the most solvent travelers were the first to feel. Russian tour operators specializing in VIP vacations note a radical change in geography in 2026: wealthy tourists are turning away en masse from “stars” like Sochi and Dubai that have become too accessible and overcrowded. The philosophy of holidays has changed: the main selection criteria are now privacy, authenticity and unique experiences, rather than a display of luxury.
According to a survey of tour operators PAC Group, OneTouch&Travel, Club Med, PAX, LaVoyage and ART-TOUR, today's premium traveler is an esthete who is interested in the culture and history of the country, and not a status hotel. As a result, interest shifted towards excursion and development programs, the main drivers of which were Africa and Latin America.
Top destinations for premium tourists in 2026
Within Russia, the most expensive and sought-after places for luxury holidays have become hard-to-reach natural locations. According to the premium travel agency PrimeTours (a member of the Russian Union of Travel Industry), the undisputed leaders in the upper price segment are the Putorana plateau in Siberia and Kamchatka.
Experts note that these destinations form a separate market for premium domestic tourism. They also include Baikal, Altai, Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands and the Khabarovsk Territory. Here, a wealthy audience is looking not for the ubiquitous “luxury”, but for wellness formats, “places of power,” fishing, hunting and expeditions.
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In foreign destinations, the focus has also shifted from familiar beaches to unique adventures. Africa is the absolute trend of the year: PrimeTours clients choose safaris to South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya with an average bill of 1.5 million rubles.
Today's luxury tourism is an investment in personal experience rather than a display of wealth. And this trend, according to forecasts, will only intensify, further separating the two poles of the tourism market.
Previously, we wrote about a vacation by the sea, which is cheaper than 50 thousand rubles. Real options for summer 2026.
