In keeping with statistics from the Border Service of the Federal Safety Service of the Russian Federation, 1.57 million overseas residents visited Russia for tourism in 2024. As compared, solely 670,700 individuals traveled to Russia for tourism in 2023. Within the pre-COVID 12 months of 2019, the Russian inbound tourism welcomed 5,061,696 overseas vacationers, greater than thrice the quantity in 2023.
After a pointy decline in 2022, the variety of overseas visits to Russia started to get well in 2023. Nevertheless, this restoration was primarily pushed by enterprise journey fairly than tourism.
In 2023, 605,400 overseas residents visited Russia for enterprise, almost matching the variety of leisure vacationers. It is price noting that many visits labeled as “vacationer” had been, in actual fact, enterprise journeys. Specialists have noticed that the majority overseas visits to Russia in 2023 had been for enterprise tourism fairly than leisure.
In 2024, the traditional leisure tourism section skilled a noticeable restoration. Official statistics point out that 1.57 million foreigners visited for leisure, in comparison with 611.5 thousand who got here for enterprise—almost 2.5 instances fewer.
It is price mentioning that the restoration of enterprise tourism, which started actively in 2023, has slowed down. In 2024, only one% extra enterprise vacationers arrived in Russia in comparison with 2023, and the numbers nonetheless fall in need of these in 2019, when there have been 3.5 million enterprise guests. Consequently, the inbound enterprise circulate to Russia stays 5.7 instances decrease than earlier than the pandemic.
Prime Supply Markets for Russian Inbound Tourism
In 2024, most overseas vacationers visiting Russia got here from China, with 848,000 visits for leisure functions, accounting for half of all leisure visits. This marks a considerable improve of 4.2 instances in comparison with 2023 when there have been solely 200,000 visits. Nevertheless, this determine has not but returned to pre-pandemic ranges; in 2019, Chinese language vacationers made 1,493,237 journeys to Russia for tourism, which is 1.76 instances greater than in 2024.
Germany ranked second in inbound tourism circulate in 2024, with 65,800 visits, reflecting a 21.2% improve in comparison with the earlier 12 months. Specialists consider that almost all of those visits are for private causes, equivalent to visiting kinfolk or for enterprise, fairly than tourism. Tour operators be aware that there are presently only some remoted situations of German vacationers visiting Russia for leisure. Earlier than the pandemic, Germany was a main supply of vacationers to Russia, with 522,000 visits for tourism in 2019, however the vacationer circulate from Germany has since decreased by almost eight instances.
Third among the many prime inbound vacationer sources is the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has just lately emerged as a major supply marketplace for Russia’s tourism. Earlier than the pandemic, the variety of guests from the UAE was minimal, with solely 23,000 visits recorded in 2019. Nevertheless, since final 12 months, the variety of vacationers from the UAE has been steadily rising, totaling 65,300 visits for tourism functions by the tip of 2024. This represents a development of two.8 instances in comparison with 2019 and a 53.6% improve in comparison with 2023.
Turkey ranked fourth on the finish of 2024, with 58.5 thousand guests, representing a 23.2% improve in comparison with 2023. Whereas vacationers from Turkey go to Russia, most of those visits are primarily for enterprise. Nevertheless, many Turkish vacationers get pleasure from sightseeing, eating, and different actions. Notably, the variety of guests from Turkey in 2024 has already surpassed the pre-pandemic figures from 2019 by 7 thousand journeys.
Turkmenistan took the fifth place, with 57.4 thousand guests and a exceptional 65.3% improve in comparison with 2023. Though the official purpose is “tourism,” most Turkmen residents touring to Russia achieve this for enterprise, transit, or private causes fairly than conventional tourism.
Saudi Arabia is available in sixth place. Certainly, there’s a rising curiosity amongst Saudi vacationers in visiting Russia. Nevertheless, extra direct flights and the flexibility to make funds utilizing overseas financial institution playing cards are wanted to attain a extra substantial vacationer circulate. Regardless of these challenges, 55.2 thousand Saudi Arabian residents visited Russia in 2024, a determine greater than 13 instances greater than the pre-COVID complete of 4.2 thousand visits in 2019 and 7 instances higher than the numbers from 2023.
Seventh place goes to Iran. Russia and Iran have an settlement permitting a mutual visa-free regime for organized teams of vacationers. This settlement is proving efficient: in 2024, the variety of Iranian vacationers visiting Russia elevated by 20,000 in comparison with the pre-pandemic 12 months of 2019, reaching 49,600 visits. This represents a 69.7% improve in comparison with 2019. Moreover, the circulate of Iranian vacationers has grown by 68.1% in comparison with 2023.
Foreigners’ Favourite Locations in Russia
International vacationers in Russia sometimes select traditional excursions that final a mean of 5 to 7 days. The most well-liked locations embrace Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Murmansk. In 2024, Kazan may also be added to those cities, exhibiting important development in recognition.
In keeping with Intourist, one of many main Russian tour operators, the highest 5 winter locations for overseas vacationers visiting the European a part of Russia in 2024-2025 are Moscow (50%), St. Petersburg (25%), Krasnodar Krai (3%), Murmansk (10%), and the Moscow Area (which incorporates Sergiev Posad) at 5%. Different cities in Russia account for 7%.
Most overseas vacationers go to Russia throughout the summer time months, however in 2024, there was a noticeable improve in winter tourism, notably from Arab markets. In the course of the winter, the variety of vacationers arriving from some Arab nations was almost as excessive as in the summertime. Statistics help this commentary: within the fourth quarter of 2024, the vacationer circulate from the UAE reached 22,028 visits, whereas within the third quarter (from July to September), it totaled 23,953 visits. There have been 16,046 visits from Saudi Arabia within the fourth quarter, contributing to 55,167 visits from that nation all through 2024, with 22,923 journeys occurring within the third quarter.
