The number of search queries to the UK rocketed after Russian PM announced borders are reopening.

Experts of travel search company Aviasales noted a significant rise in requests for flights from Russia to the UK within a minute after federal authorities declared the country is to reopen international routes starting from August 1st 2020.

International flights will be able to operate from airports in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don. Open destinations are limited too. The first set of countries includes the UK, Turkey and Tanzania.

Russian users, according to Aviasales, reacted to borders reopening immediately. The growth of search queries rocketed. The company saw search queries to Turkey increase by 300%, to the United Kingdom by 500%, and to Tanzania by 7,000%.

Many of requests resulted with actual bookings. Travellers were starving for holiday destinations, so even Tanzania, quite an expensive destination (a round trip trips from Moscow starts from £625), or the UK that demands 2-week mandatory self-isolation might be an option for summer 2020 vocations, - says Max Kraynov, Aviasales CEO.

As a result of the first relaxation steps in Russia, Aviasales’ Recovery Index shows 2.5 points (out of 10) for the international flights for the first time in a few months.

Earlier travel search company introduced its own online tool https://index.aviasales.ru/en to track post-COVID-19 reality. According to the Index, the big drop started at the end of March. It was bouncing around 2.4 points for domestic flights during the entirety of April. And now, in the middle of the holiday season, the Travel Recovery Index has finally reached 10 points for local routes.