More than 65% of travelers try local cuisine when traveling in Russia

AZIMUT Hotels and national tour operator Alean have compiled a list of top destinations for gastronomic travel. It includes cities along the Golden Ring, as well as Kazan, Kaliningrad, Sochi, Gelendzhik, Tyumen and St. Petersburg.

Increasingly, travelers choose destinations based not only on historical, architectural and natural attractions, but also on opportunities to discover local cuisine, regional products, signature restaurants, food festivals and farmsteads. According to a survey of AZIMUT Hotels guests, more than 65% of travelers make a point of trying local cuisine when visiting a new city.

According to AZIMUT Hotels, gastronomic tourism is becoming a notable trend in domestic travel. Travelers are increasingly including visits to markets, cheesemakers, wineries, restaurants, craft producers and gastronomic spaces in their itineraries, as well as taking part in themed festivals and tasting programs.

Gastronomy has a noticeable impact on the choice of destination, length of stay and itinerary. During gastronomic festivals, hotel occupancy can reach 95%. For travelers, food has become a way to discover the culture of a region and adds an extra dimension to their experience. In response to this demand, AZIMUT hotels, together with dairy holding company EkoNiva, have introduced “Russian Breakfasts” to their buffet menus, featuring traditional Russian dishes prepared with local specialties.

According to national tour operator Alean, demand for hotel accommodation is higher on the dates of gastronomic festivals than on regular days of the month. Depending on the destination, the number of bookings in a city increases by 20–30% during gastronomic events. The development of gastronomic tourism helps cities diversify their sightseeing programs and increase the number of repeat visits. Demand for gastronomic tours, sightseeing programs that include visits to farmsteads, gastronomic shopping, and master classes on preparing traditional dishes is growing by 10–15% annually.

Among the cities where interest in gastronomic travel is particularly strong, experts from AZIMUT Hotels and national tour operator Alean highlight:

Kazan. Tourists are drawn to modern interpretations of traditional dishes, local sweets and authentic restaurant concepts, such as the local fast-food chain Tyubetey, whose menu features popular traditional pastries including kystybyi, gubadiya, elesh and echpochmak. Travelers also visit locations that tell the story of Tatar cuisine, such as the Chak-Chak Museum and the Echpochmak House Museum.
The Golden Ring cities. Travelers try mead in Suzdal, gingerbread in Rostov Veliky, cheese in Kostroma, smoked vendace in Pereslavl-Zalessky, pickles in Vyatskoye and cherries in Vladimir, as well as visiting agritourism complexes and Russian cuisine restaurants.
Nizhny Novgorod attracts travelers who want to admire the famous sunsets over the Strelka and try dishes made with Volga fish, including crucian carp, pike-perch, sterlet and bream, as well as Vetluga-style dumplings filled with meat and mushrooms.

Sochi and Gelendzhik offer guests an eclectic Black Sea cuisine featuring fresh seafood, as well as Caucasian and Cossack dishes. At least 20% of guests staying at AZIMUT properties in the south visit wineries and join organized group tours, such as the “Wine Roads of the Bosporan Kingdom” excursion.

Kaliningrad is a popular choice for short trips combining seaside relaxation with visits to restaurants and craft producers, including cheesemakers and breweries. Tourists are interested in dishes made with Baltic fish and seafood, as well as gastronomic souvenirs featuring the region’s signature sweet — marzipan.
Vladivostok is strengthening its position as the gastronomic capital of the Russian Far East. The main driver of interest is seafood, including crab, scallops, oysters and sea urchins, as well as Pacific fish and restaurants working with locally sourced ingredients.
Tyumen. The city hosts annual gastronomic festivals, including “Siberia on a Plate” and “Delicious Tyumen.” Tourists try dumplings with a variety of fillings, stroganina made from muksun, game dishes, and desserts featuring cloudberries, spruce cones and taiga herbs.

St. Petersburg attracts visitors with its diverse range of gastronomic concepts, from pyshki doughnut shops to fashionable restaurants featured in rankings of Russia’s best dining establishments. Under the “Petersburg Cuisine” brand, restaurateurs are reviving culinary traditions from pre-revolutionary and Soviet-era cuisine, including blancmange, beef Stroganoff and Leningrad-style rassolnik.

Gastronomic tourism is expected to continue strengthening its influence on Russia’s domestic travel market in the coming years. The development of the restaurant industry, growing interest in local products, an increasing number of gastronomic festivals and the promotion of regional brands are creating additional opportunities for cities, hotels, restaurants and local producers.