MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – Russia welcomed 2.5 million foreign tourists in the first half of 2026, a 20.1% increase from a year earlier. China remained the largest source of international visitors during the six-month period. Chinese travelers represented more than 22% of foreign guests recorded in Russia. The Russian Ministry of Economic Development presented the figures during tourism meetings held in Shenyang, China. The data cover foreign visitors staying in collective accommodation facilities across the country.
Russia also recorded continued growth in its domestic travel market during January through June. Rosstat reported 43.2 million domestic tourist trips in the first half of 2026. That total increased 4.3% from the same period a year earlier. The official figures show that inbound tourism grew at a faster annual pace during the period. The two categories rely on separate statistical measures for domestic and international travel.
China led the inbound market, while Persian Gulf countries, Turkey and India also supplied significant numbers of visitors. International tourists traveled to destinations beyond Moscow and St. Petersburg during the first half. Murmansk, Vladivostok and Kazan were among the cities highlighted by Russian officials. Russia also maintained direct international air links with 34 destinations. Those connections included routes serving markets across Asia and the Middle East.
China remains Russia’s largest foreign tourism market
The latest figures featured in tourism discussions under the Greater Tumen Initiative in Shenyang. Delegates also took part in a seminar focused on inbound tourism across Northeast Asia. The meetings covered cross-border travel projects involving Russia, China and Mongolia. Participants reviewed development of the Great Tea Road, a historic tourism route linking several regions. Plans for its Russian section include about 20 regions across a broad part of the country.
The proposed route crosses areas in the Russian Far East, Siberia, the Urals and the Volga region. It then extends toward Moscow and St. Petersburg. Tourism discussions also covered links between the neighboring border cities of Blagoveshchensk and Heihe. Other projects included visitor development around Vladivostok and travel connected to the Trans-Siberian Railway. Lake Baikal and scientific tourism near the Vostochny Cosmodrome also featured in the regional tourism agenda.
Visa-free travel supports Russia-China visitor flows
Travel rules between Russia and China have also expanded access for eligible visitors. Russia extended visa-free entry for qualifying Chinese citizens through Dec. 31, 2027. China extended its visa-free policy for Russian citizens through the same date. Eligible Russian passport holders can enter China without a visa for stays of up to 30 days. The policy covers tourism, business, family visits, exchanges and transit under the stated entry conditions.
Cross-border travel between Russia and China had already increased before the latest half-year figures. Chinese data showed 154,200 tourists traveled from China to Russia in the first quarter of 2026. That represented a 44% increase from the same quarter in 2025. Russia also ranked among the leading sources of inbound visitors to China during the first half. The latest Russian tourism figures confirm China remained the country’s largest foreign visitor market, accounting for more than one-fifth of recorded international guests.