MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – During the first six months of 2026, Russia saw an influx of 2.5 million international visitors, marking a 20.1% increase compared to the same period last year. China continued to be the leading source market, contributing over 22% of all foreign arrivals. These latest statistics underscore the upward trend in Russia’s inbound tourism from January through June. Nikita Kondratiev, a senior official at the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, shared these figures during meetings in Shenyang, China.
The data are based on official tourism records that track foreign visitors using collective accommodation facilities across Russia. Rosstat figures additionally revealed that Russians undertook 43.2 million domestic trips in the first half of 2026, reflecting a 4.3% increase from the same period in 2025. Consequently, inbound tourism experienced a faster growth rate annually compared to domestic tourism, as measured by separate official indicators for each sector.
China remained the dominant source of Russia’s foreign visitors in the first half of 2026. Tourists from Persian Gulf nations, Turkey, and India also ranked among the key markets. Foreign travelers explored beyond Moscow and St. Petersburg, visiting destinations such as Murmansk, Vladivostok, and Kazan. Russian officials have also indicated the existence of direct international air routes connecting 34 destinations, including several countries in Asia and the Middle East.
China continues to lead Russia’s inbound tourism
The latest tourism statistics were shared at a Tourism Council meeting of the Greater Tumen Initiative held in Shenyang. Attendees also participated in a seminar dedicated to inbound tourism in Northeast Asia, which covered cross-border travel initiatives involving Russia, China, and Mongolia. Among these was the development of the historic Great Tea Road tourism route, which is now in the implementation phase and is planned to include approximately 20 Russian regions.
The Russian segment of the Great Tea Road is designed to connect areas from the Far East and Siberia through the Urals and Volga regions, continuing toward Moscow and St. Petersburg. Other tourism projects discussed included routes linking Blagoveshchensk and Heihe, as well as tourism growth around Vladivostok. The delegates also examined the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Lake Baikal region, and scientific tourism linked to the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
Visa-free agreements strengthen between Russia and China
As the volume of visitors increases, travel regulations between Russia and China have been revised. Russia has extended visa-free access for eligible Chinese citizens until Dec. 31, 2027, while China has similarly prolonged its visa-free policy for Russian nationals through the same date. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that ordinary Russian passport holders can visit without a visa for up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges, and transit purposes.
These first-half figures align with a broader upward trend in cross-border travel between the two nations. Official Chinese data indicates that 154,200 Chinese tourists traveled to Russia during the first quarter of 2026, a 44% increase from the previous year. During the same period, Russia ranked second among China’s source countries for inbound visitors. With these latest numbers, China has become the top foreign market for Russia’s international tourists, accounting for over 20% of all recorded international arrivals.