MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – In the first half of 2026, Russia attracted 2.5 million foreign tourists, marking a 20.1% increase compared to the same period last year. China remained the leading source of visitors, making up over 22% of international arrivals. These recent statistics highlight the ongoing growth 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 held in Shenyang, China.
The data are based on official tourism statistics that record foreign visitors utilizing collective accommodation facilities across Russia. Rosstat figures also indicated that Russians undertook 43.2 million domestic trips in the first six months of 2026, reflecting a 4.3% increase compared to the same period in 2025. As a result, inbound tourism experienced a faster growth rate annually than domestic travel during this timeframe, according to separate official data for each category.
China maintained the largest share of Russia’s foreign visitor market during the initial half of 2026. Tourists from Persian Gulf nations, Turkey, and India followed as other key source markets. International travelers also explored beyond Moscow and St. Petersburg, visiting locations such as Murmansk, Vladivostok, and Kazan. Russian officials have also noted the existence of direct international air links to 34 destinations, including several countries in Asia and the Middle East.
China Remains Russia’s Top Inbound Tourist Origin
These latest tourism figures were introduced at a Tourism Council meeting of the Greater Tumen Initiative in Shenyang. Participants also took part in a seminar focused on inbound tourism in Northeast Asia. Discussions covered cross-border travel initiatives involving Russia, China, and Mongolia. One of the projects discussed was the development of the historic Great Tea Road tourism route, now entering the implementation phase and set to include approximately 20 Russian regions.
The planned Russian segment of the Great Tea Road stretches from the Far East and Siberia through the Urals and Volga region, ultimately connecting to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Other tourism initiatives highlighted included connections between Blagoveshchensk and Heihe, as well as regional tourism growth around Vladivostok. Further topics included the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Lake Baikal region, and scientific tourism linked to the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
Visa-Free Arrangements Boost Travel Between Russia and China
As the number of visitors from China increases, travel rules between Russia and China have been updated. Russia has extended visa-free entry for eligible Chinese citizens through Dec. 31, 2027, and China has similarly extended its visa-free policy for Russian nationals until the same date. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, ordinary Russian passport holders can visit without a visa for up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges, and transit purposes.
The first-half figures are part of a broader rise in cross-border travel between the two nations. Official Chinese data indicated that 154,200 Chinese tourists visited Russia during the first quarter of 2026, representing a 44% increase year-on-year. Russia ranked second among China’s inbound visitor countries during the first six months. With the new figures, China now leads Russia’s foreign tourism market, accounting for more than one-fifth of all recorded international guests.