MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – In the first six months 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, making up over 22% of all foreign arrivals. These recent figures highlight the ongoing growth of Russia’s inbound tourism sector from January through June. Nikita Kondratiev, a senior official at the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, shared this tourism data during meetings held in Shenyang, China.
The statistics derive from official tourism records documenting foreign tourists staying in collective accommodation facilities across Russia. Rosstat data also indicate that Russians completed 43.2 million domestic trips during the first half of 2026. This marks a 4.3% growth compared to the same period in 2025. Consequently, inbound tourism grew at a faster pace annually than domestic tourism during this timeframe, according to the separate official metrics used for each category.
China remained the largest source of foreign visitors to Russia in the first half of the year. Tourists from Persian Gulf nations, Turkey, and India were also among the primary markets. International travelers expanded their journeys beyond Moscow and St. Petersburg to destinations such as Murmansk, Vladivostok, and Kazan. Russian officials have reported direct international air routes connecting 34 locations, including several in Asia and the Middle East.
China Dominates Russia’s International Visitor Market
The most recent tourism data were presented during a Tourism Council session of the Greater Tumen Initiative in Shenyang. Participants also engaged in a seminar dedicated to inbound tourism in Northeast Asia. The discussions included cross-border travel initiatives involving Russia, China, and Mongolia. Among these was the development of the historic Great Tea Road tourism corridor, which has now entered the implementation phase and is expected to encompass approximately 20 Russian regions.
The Russian segment of the Great Tea Road stretches from the Far East and Siberia through the Urals and Volga region, extending toward Moscow and St. Petersburg. Other tourism projects discussed during the meetings included connections between Blagoveshchensk and Heihe, as well as tourism growth around Vladivostok. The delegates also explored the Trans-Siberian Railway, Lake Baikal area, and scientific tourism linked to the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
Visa-Free Agreements Strengthen Between Russia and China
Travel regulations between Russia and China have evolved alongside rising visitor numbers. Russia has extended visa-free entry for qualifying Chinese nationals until Dec. 31, 2027. Similarly, China has renewed its visa-free policy for Russian citizens through the same date. The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that ordinary Russian passport holders can visit without a visa for up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges, and transit purposes.
The increase in first-half figures aligns with a broader trend of growing cross-border travel between the two nations. Official Chinese data show that 154,200 Chinese tourists visited Russia in the first quarter of 2026, a 44% rise year on year. Russia ranked second among China’s inbound travel sources during the first half of the year. These new Russian statistics place China at the top of Russia’s international tourism market, accounting for more than 20% of all recorded international visitors.