Search and, since not long ago, reserving of tourist trips through Internet is no more new for Russians. General director Anna Tsygankova of the tourism portal Avantix.ru says that her company's turnover last year reached 50 million dollars. The portal is daily visited by about 5,000 people, 150 of whom become buyers.
The Russian on-line tourist market grows after Western though, according to the just-published information by the company Neilsen/NetRatings, the leading European tourist portals Microsoft Expedia and Lastminute.com are far ahead of the Russian companies.
The growing on-line tourist market gladdens travelers by not only saving on vouchers. According to the recently published research by the consulting company KPMG, most hotels underrate in Internet the true cost of their rooms.
General director Alexander Lesnik of the Hotel Consulting and Development Group notes that the majority of Russian hotels are using the "commercial stratagem", proposing on the site to reserve a room with the inclusion of a swimming-pool and restaurant and do not mention time limits. "Western tourists do not give in: they will call and do all to know what is included and for how much time. With us everything is taken on trust", Lesnik said.
