MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – In the first half of 2026, Russia welcomed 2.5 million international travelers, representing a 20.1% increase compared to the same period last year. China continued to be the leading source of visitors, accounting for over 22% of all foreign arrivals. These latest statistics highlight a sustained 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 tourism figures during meetings held in Shenyang, China.
The data derive from official tourism records that track foreign visitors utilizing collective accommodation across Russia. Additionally, Rosstat reports that Russians made 43.2 million domestic trips in the first six months of 2026, which marks a 4.3% increase compared to the same period in 2025. As a result, inbound tourism grew at a faster annual rate than domestic travel, based on the separate official metrics used for each category.
During the first half of the year, China was the predominant source of foreign visitors to Russia. Other significant markets included travelers from Persian Gulf nations, Turkey, and India. Tourists explored beyond Moscow and St. Petersburg, visiting destinations such as Murmansk, Vladivostok, and Kazan. Russian authorities also reported direct international air routes connecting with 34 locations, including several countries in Asia and the Middle East.
China continues to lead Russia’s inbound tourism
The latest tourism data were unveiled during a meeting of the Greater Tumen Initiative’s Tourism Council in Shenyang. Participants also took part in a seminar focused on inbound tourism in Northeast Asia, which included discussions on cross-border travel projects involving Russia, China, and Mongolia. Among these initiatives was the development of the historic Great Tea Road tourism route, which has entered the implementation phase and is expected to encompass approximately 20 regions within Russia.
The Russian segment of the Great Tea Road is planned to extend from the Far East and Siberia through the Urals and Volga areas, culminating in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Additional tourism projects discussed included links between the cities of Blagoveshchensk and Heihe, as well as tourism expansion around Vladivostok. The conversations also covered the Trans-Siberian Railway, Lake Baikal, and scientific tourism linked to the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
Visa-free agreements strengthen between Moscow and Beijing
As travel volumes rise, Russia and China have updated their visa policies. Russia has extended visa-free entry for eligible Chinese citizens through Dec. 31, 2027, while China has reciprocated by extending its visa-free policy for Russian nationals until the same date. The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed that ordinary Russian passport holders can visit without a visa for up to 30 days for purposes such as tourism, business, family visits, exchanges, and transit.
The first-half data reflect a broader trend of increasing cross-border movement. Chinese official figures indicate that 154,200 Chinese tourists traveled to Russia in the first quarter of 2026, a 44% rise year-on-year. During the same period, Russia ranked second among China’s inbound visitor source countries. The latest Russian statistics position China as the top foreign source for Russia’s international travelers, representing more than one-fifth of all recorded international arrivals.