New Year’s Tourism 2026. Hotel Shortage, Price Increases, and New Favorite Countries Among Kyrgyzstani Travelers

Kyrgyz National News Agency

Nazgul Nurmanbetova

New Year’s holidays have arrived. While some are just thinking about packing their suitcases, the market is already in a frenzy: planes fill up weeks in advance, popular resorts go into stop-lists, and prices react instantly to demand. Some destinations unexpectedly become hits of the season, others lose their former appeal. About where Kyrgyzstani travelers are flying today, why Vietnam has peaked in popularity, whether budget rest has disappeared, and what trends are shaping the tourism map of 2026, we talked with Talant Ozokeev, founder of a large tourism company.

– If we look at the market as a whole, are this year’s New Year’s holidays growth or stagnation?

– Overall, we can say that demand has remained at the level of last year. There is no sharp surge, but the structure of demand has noticeably changed. The main difference is Vietnam. This direction, especially Phu Quoc Island, has become the undisputed leader this year. There are three flights a week from Bishkek, and they are all fully loaded.

The problem now is not even in the flights, but in accommodation. There are practically no free rooms in hotels, and the shortage of room stock has become the main limiting factor.

– So Vietnam is the absolute favorite today?

– Yes, if we’re talking about the New Year period, Phu Quoc confidently takes first place. Next is Egypt – a stable and understandable direction for many tourists. In third place is Dubai, although demand here is already lower than last year.

– Which directions, on the contrary, are losing positions?

– First of all, this is Dubai. This year, only one airline flies there, which immediately affected demand. Interest in Thailand has also noticeably decreased compared to last year. It is still in demand, but not in the same volume.

– How do tourist preferences differ depending on age and family composition?

– The picture here is quite clear. Families with children more often choose Egypt and Phu Quoc – due to the rest format, hotels, infrastructure, animation. These are directions where you can relax calmly with a child.

Young people are drawn to more dynamic locations – this is Thailand, Vietnam, and Dubai, where there is more active life, entertainment, and nightlife.

– Have any new, unexpected directions appeared this year that were almost not considered before?

– Yes, and this is a very interesting trend. We see growing interest in more exotic and distant directions. Tourists are increasingly asking about the Philippines, Mauritius, Seychelles, sometimes Zanzibar, as well as Singapore. Previously, such routes were considered niche, now they are approached much more often.

– Many try to save money. When is the best time to plan a New Year’s vacation to avoid overpaying?

– The best time for booking is October and early November. In general, you can start as early as late September. The earlier the tourist makes a decision, the more choice and the calmer the price. Towards New Year, options become fewer, and the cost – higher.

– And if we speak honestly: is budget rest possible today during the winter holidays?

– If we speak frankly, in classic tourist directions – no. During the holidays, budget rest is practically nonexistent. The only option is off-season or less demanded directions, such as Azerbaijan or Istanbul. There you can still find more affordable options, but this is rather an exception.

– Which directions have become more expensive the most and why?

– The most noticeable price increase is in Phu Quoc and Vietnam as a whole. The reason is simple – hotel shortage. There are few free places, and those hotels that still have them have significantly raised prices.

In Egypt, the cost increase is not only due to the New Year. Overall, for 2025-2026, hotels have raised prices, and this has automatically affected tour costs.

In Dubai, there is also a noticeable increase, here general inflation is affecting. Turkish hotels continue to raise prices annually, despite the fact that demand for Turkey is gradually declining. This year it is already lower than last year, but the cost has risen again. Probably, interest in the Turkish direction will decline even more in the future.

— What could replace Turkey and Egypt in the near future?

— We already see that Vietnam is becoming a serious alternative. In the summer, flights from Bishkek and Almaty to Nha Trang and Da Nang are expected. These directions perform well: ‘all inclusive’ format, developed infrastructure, entertainment. For many tourists, they already look more attractive than traditional Turkey and Egypt.