Russia's decision to stop flights to Egypt is potentially devastating for that country's already battered tourist industry, but it's also a grim sign for Russia. Egypt was the most popular holiday destination for Russians, and they will find it hard to find a replacement: their country's involvement in the Syrian war means other parts of the Middle East may not be safe either.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's rhetoric and economic policy may be essentially isolationist, but he's never purposefully done anything to limit outbound tourism. The ability of many Russians to travel overseas once or twice a year was one of Putin's major achievements: Although it was his predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, who opened the borders, it was under Putin that most people could finally afford to go. In 2000, Russians made 4.2 million overseas trips as tourists. In 2013, that number increased to 18.3 million. It grew every year since 2009, when the global financial crisis caused a hiccup.
Putin's foreign policy and the falling price of oil have conspired to reverse the growth. In 2014, the number of tourist trips dropped 4 percent, mainly because of the Ukraine crisis and tensions with Europe. As Russia's recession worsened this year, the decline continued. Russians, however, still went to Egypt: It was friendly, visa-free and cheap — a weeklong holiday for as little as $500 including airfare — and it offered beach holidays during the winter. Egypt competes with Turkey for the top spot on the list of popular destinations and outranks it when the Mediterranean gets too cold.