Since the mass exodus of international clothing brands from Russia due to sanctions, ordinary Russians are looking to neighboring countries to upgrade their wardrobes. Kazakhstan is becoming a popular destination, and tour operators are already grabbing at the opportunity with eye-raising prices for short daytime tour packages.

Shop till you drop

Some tour operators in Kazakhstan now offer two-day shopping tours from Siberian Tyumen to the Kazakh capital of Nur-Sultan for 30,000 rubles, or 200,000 tenge, 31 Channel reports. 

The packages include 12 hours of shopping at brand stores, sightseeing excursions, meals and hotel accommodation. The tour group size is limited to 50 people, however, due to the unexpected demand, agencies are planning to increase the group size as well as diversify the tour destinations.

I see tourists as investors. In any case, they bring in money to pay tour agencies, tour guides, shops, cafes, and restaurants.

So far, foreign tourists will only be able to shop in stores in Nur-Sultan, since the operators initially did not expect such an influx of potential customers. But travel companies are adjusting quickly and intend to expand the list of regions where Russian citizens will be able to travel in organized groups.

Interest in using services of professional buyers has also noticeably increased.

"The flow of clients has increased. I do not know what this is connected with, maybe with the fact that the flow of Russians has increased. But my goods are selling out very quickly these days. I literally do not have time to pack them."

For the time being, the Tyumen-Nur-Sultan bus tour has a maximum capacity of 50 guests. But the number of trips is expected to double in the future.