Poll shows Russians prefer country houses

According to research held by Russian Public Opinion Research Center, spending vacation in country houses (dachas) remains the most popular in Russia. Some 21 percent of Russians spent this summer vacations this way. At the same time, country houses are more popular among people between 35 and 59 years old.

The number of people who spend vacations in country houses has decreased over the last 5 years and the number of those who would like to go to other places has increased, the research center pointed out. At the same time, most Russians traveled around Russia and the former USSR in the summer 2004. In addition, the number of people who spent vacations abroad in 2004 increased to 3 percent against 2 percent last year. These were primarily young people between 25 and 34 years old. Some 60 percent of the respondents spent this summer at home for some reason; 24 percent stayed at home due to lack of money; 36 percent were busy.

The poll was held on September 18 to 19, 2004. Some 1,541 people were polled in 100 cities and settlements in 39 regions of Russia. The statistical error is not more than 3.4 percent.