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Aug 19, 2024 (newstodate): While Russian airlines remain barred from flights into the EU, Russian tourists keep streaming into their favored leisure destinations undeterred by travel sanctions.
   According to the Russian online portal Ostrovok, the number of bookings by Russian tourists for the second half of 2024 in some European countries has grown by 70 percent, compared to last year.
   The strongest demand was noted in Hungary, up by 70 percent, Montenegro 66 and Greece, 56 percent, while the top 10 most popular European countries included Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Serbia, Portugal and Bulgaria.
   To cater to this insatiable development, new hubs have emerged, substituting for direct flights out of Russia.
   Initially, Istanbul, Dubai and Belgrade were the favored en-route hubs.
   Now, Armenia is a prime hub due to the launch of flights from Yerevan by Wizz Air this summer where the carrier operates flights to Vienna, Dortmund, Larnaca, Milan and Rome.
   Russians also favor flights via Baku where AZAL operates flights to European destinations including Barcelona, ​​Berlin, Bucharest, Vienna, London, Milan, Paris, Prague and Sofia.  
   Georgia's Tbilisi Airport is another potential hub, with Georgian Airways operating to Amsterdam, Vienna, Munich and Paris, while Wizz Air and a number of other EU carriers also offers flights to European destinations.