Russians, who under Communism were rarely allowed to venture across their own border, and then lacked money to do so when the political barriers first fell, are now flocking to Crete, and other Mediterranean resorts in Spain and Turkey, in numbers that dwarf those of many other countries.

From Kokkini Hani to Malia, almost anywhere there are clusters of tourists, you can pick up bits of conversation with words like privet and na zdorovia.

“Crete is now the most popular tourist destination among Russians, overtaking Turkey,” said Victoria Khudyakova of Kokkini Hani, a representative for the Le Grand Travel Bureau in Iraklion. “During this past winter and spring they had an excellent marketing campaign in Moscow and other major Russian cities.”

Russian tour agent Victoria Khudyakova

There is perhaps no better symbol of the growth in Russian tourism than the numerous fur shops, some with signage only in Russian, that have opened throughout the townships, some literally side-by-side.

“We are only interested in the Russian market,” admitted a manager of a Hersonissos fur shop, which is apparently Greek owned and operated.

The Russian tourism boom is happening as new low-cost airlines in Europe have spurred a sharp increase in tourism across the Continent. But for the Russians, the chance to travel is especially prized.

For the first time in Russian history, many of its citizens are being exposed to life in other countries, helping to ease the isolationism that built up in the Soviet era. At that time, the public was not only prevented from going abroad, but it was also infused with propaganda that the Soviet Union was unquestionably the world’s best country, so there was no need to leave anyway.

People who desired foreign travel in Soviet times typically had to receive official approval, and,  if it was granted, they were closely chaperoned once they crossed the border.

Even before they left, they often were sent to classes to be indoctrinated in how to behave and avoid the perils of foreign influence. Those who were not in good standing with the party had little chance of going.

Most Russian tourists interviewed here credited Vladimir  Putin, the current prime minister, for their ability to travel, saying that he was responsible for Russia’s new prosperity when he was president.

“If you have some time and a little money, you can travel. Just like everyone else in the world,” said a local tourist agency specializing in Russian tourism.

The number of Russian tourists visiting countries outside the former Soviet Union grew to 7.1 million in 2006, the last year statistics were available, from 2.6 million in 1995, according to the Russian government.

This influx of Russian tourists to our local townships has given rise to a new mini-industry catering to their needs, and not only with the selling of furs.

More and more taverna owners are adding Russian to the Greek, English and sometimes German, Italian and French, languages currently on their menus, and private language schools are desperately seeking qualified Russian teachers, as hotels, restaurants and shops search for Russian-speaking staff.

However, the effort to make Russian guests feel comfortable can go too far.

For example, one local restaurant in Hersonissos added items such as borscht, rassolnik and bliny to its menu, but quickly dropped them when it discovered Russians weren’t interested in food they could get in their home country.

“This is something we can’t get in Russia too often,” said tourist Alexis Petrov, as he dug into a platter of grilled fresh fish at the Ambrosia Taverna in Gournes.

A Russian family sitting around a table filled with plates of mezes, such as dolmades, tzatziki and shrimp saganaki at the Avli Taverna in Hersonissos were obviously delighted in sampling the different tastes.

“Not exactly the type of food you can find in any Moscow restaurant,” the teenage daughter happily declared, as she popped another cheese ball into her mouth. “There’s a Greek fast food place on Moscow’s main street called the Pita Pit, but it’s nothing like this.”

The blond teenager sporting a deep golden tan may be too young to remember, but in Soviet times the average Russian in search of some sun usually went to the Black Sea resort of Sochi or the tiny Crimean peninsula, now part of Ukraine.

The only other options were the Baltic seaside resorts of Jurmala and Palanga.

Local guest houses and hotels never had enough room to accommodate the millions of families eager to escape the cold and bask in the sun, and families were often forced to share rented rooms at holiday resorts with others. Beaches were crammed with people and basic facilities were in short supply.

While Russians make up the lion’s share of tourists from the former Soviet Union, other eastern countries are also enjoying the newfound freedom to travel, and many are choosing Crete as their destination.

For example, according to the Serbian newspaper Blic, tourists from Serbia and Bulgaria, attracted by the low-priced tourist packages, are choosing to spend their summer holidays in Crete en masse, as opposed to other near-by resorts in such places like Montenegro, which is being snubbed due to higher service prices, the introduction of an eco tax, the high cost of transportation and the poorly maintained roads.

The same goes for Romania, where industry sources reported an increase in tourism to Crete and other Greek islands, such as Corfu and Rhodes.

Compared to Russia, the largest country in the world, Crete may appear small, but once the people experience its traditional charm, the island seems to occupy an important place in their hearts.

The overwhelming majority of the Russian tourists queried, said they would definitely return to Crete for another holiday.

Perhaps the turn-of-the-century Russian novelist Maxim Gorky had a premonition about his countrymen eventually traveling to Crete when he wrote: “Happiness always looks small while you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and you learn at once how big and precious it is.”

A sign of the times – menus in Russian

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