Russian tourists conquer the ski resorts of Europe

Wealthy Russian winter sports amateurs have long and confidently been conquering the resorts of Western and Eastern Europe in search of exciting adventures and active sports. Over the past six years the resorts of Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France have not only experienced a significant influx of Russian-speaking travelers, but also managed to adapt the infrastructure for their recreation and entertainment.

Russians have long and sometimes quite notoriously famous abroad for their "generous nature", unprecedented generosity and simply indecent level of their leisure and festivities. It is needed to recollect at least the "Courchevel scandal" that occurred in 2007 at the famous French resort of Courchevel. As it is well known in the scandal took part the top managers of Norilsk Nickel and directly Russia's richest billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, whose was accompanied at the resort by 16 lovely young ladies, who were not too burdened by moral principles.

However, the recent New Year holidays practically shocked the European ski resorts, which have long been accustomed to bizarre stunts of wasteful Russian-speaking guests, the unprecedented influx and generosity of the eastern neighbors. Today, every fourth tourist of the ski resorts in Western Europe is from the eastern states.

Most of Russian guests visit the famous ski resorts of Western Europe in the first days of January, in the high point of New Year and Christmas holidays in Russia. This year many Austrian resorts experienced a significant influx of tourists from Russia. According to preliminary estimates their number has increased by about 10% in the last few years. This year many ski schools hired Russian-speaking staff, particularly trainers to satisfy the demanding Russian guests, who sometimes desperately do not want to communicate on any of the languages of the world, except for "the great and mighty."

Despite the crisis, which much afflicted Russia's middle class, even it cannot relieve the generous Russian soul from significant expenditures. This season Russian amateur skiers significantly differentiated themselves from the general mass of tourists and surprised even worldly-wise Western Europeans by their extravagance.

Russian tourists not only choose the famous and expensive ski resorts, but often visit the restaurants, make astounding shopping and just relax outside the hotel more often than their Western fellows. Besides, Russians daily spend much larger amounts of money on entertainment. Thus, the average European spends at ski resorts every day about 129 euros, almost 50 euros less (40%) than the ordinary expenses of Russia tourist.

However, Russian tourists should we aware of eccentric actions often committed by them at the resorts. Despite the significant contribution of Russians in the tourism industry of Western Europe, many Western Europeans dislike the Russian revelers, who spend their holidays as if it is the last day and often treat them deliberately kindly, but with a fair amount of hostility.