MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – Russia welcomed 2.5 million international travelers during the initial six months of 2026, marking a 20.1% increase compared to the previous year. China maintained its position as the top source market, contributing over 22% of all foreign visitors. These recent statistics highlight the ongoing expansion of Russia’s inbound tourism from January to June. Nikita Kondratiev, a senior official at the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, shared these tourism insights during meetings held in Shenyang, China.
The figures are based on official tourism data tracking foreign guests staying in collective accommodation facilities across Russia. Rosstat reports that Russians undertook 43.2 million domestic trips in the first half of 2026, an increase of 4.3% compared to the same period in 2025. In this period, inbound tourism grew at a faster annual rate than domestic travel, according to the separate official statistics for each category.
China was the leading source of foreign visitors to Russia during the first half. Other key markets included travelers from the Persian Gulf, Turkey, and India. International tourists expanded their travels beyond Moscow and St. Petersburg to destinations such as Murmansk, Vladivostok, and Kazan. Russian authorities also reported direct international air routes connecting to 34 destinations, including several countries in Asia and the Middle East.
China Dominates Russia’s Foreign Visitor Numbers
The latest tourism data was unveiled at a Tourism Council meeting of the Greater Tumen Initiative in Shenyang. Delegates participated in a seminar dedicated to inbound tourism in Northeast Asia, discussing cross-border travel initiatives involving Russia, China, and Mongolia. Notably, work is progressing on the historic Great Tea Road tourism route, which has entered the implementation phase and is planned to encompass around 20 Russian regions.
The Russian segment of the Great Tea Road will stretch from the Far East and Siberia through the Urals and Volga region, extending toward Moscow and St. Petersburg. Additional projects discussed included connections between Blagoveshchensk and Heihe, tourism growth around Vladivostok, as well as the Trans-Siberian Railway, Lake Baikal, and scientific tourism linked to the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
Visa-Free Travel Between Russia and China Grows
As visitor numbers rise, travel regulations between Russia and China have been revised. Russia has extended visa-free entry for qualifying Chinese citizens until Dec. 31, 2027, while China has reciprocated with the same extension for Russian nationals. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that ordinary Russian passports allow entry without a visa for up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges, and transit.
The first-half figures reflect an overall increase in cross-border travel. Chinese official data indicated that 154,200 Chinese tourists visited Russia in the first quarter of 2026, up 44% year on year. During the same period, Russia ranked second among China’s inbound source markets. These figures position China as Russia’s top foreign tourism source, accounting for over 20% of all international visitors recorded.