MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – Russia recorded 2.5 million foreign tourists in the first half of 2026, up 20.1% from a year earlier. China remained the largest source market, accounting for more than 22% of foreign visitors. The latest figures reinforce the growth in Russia’s inbound tourism during January through June. Nikita Kondratiev, a senior official at the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, presented the tourism figures during meetings in Shenyang, China.
The data draw on official tourism statistics covering foreign guests using collective accommodation facilities across Russia. Rosstat data also showed that Russians made 43.2 million domestic trips during the first six months of 2026. That represented growth of 4.3% from the same period in 2025. Inbound tourism therefore expanded at a faster annual rate than domestic tourism during the period, based on the separate official measures used for each category.
China held the largest share of Russia’s foreign visitor market during the first half. Travelers from Persian Gulf countries, Turkey and India followed among the other significant source markets. Foreign tourists also traveled beyond Moscow and St. Petersburg to destinations including Murmansk, Vladivostok and Kazan. Russian officials have also reported direct international air connections with 34 destinations, including links with several countries in Asia and the Middle East.
China leads Russia’s inbound visitor market
The latest tourism figures were presented during a Tourism Council meeting of the Greater Tumen Initiative in Shenyang. Delegates also attended a seminar focused on inbound tourism in Northeast Asia. The discussions included cross-border travel projects involving Russia, China and Mongolia. Among them was work on the historic Great Tea Road tourism route, which has moved into the implementation stage and is planned to include about 20 Russian regions.
The proposed Russian section of the Great Tea Road spans areas from the Far East and Siberia through the Urals and Volga region. It continues toward Moscow and St. Petersburg. Other tourism projects highlighted during the meetings included links between Blagoveshchensk and Heihe and tourism development around Vladivostok. Delegates also discussed the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Lake Baikal region and scientific tourism connected with the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
Visa-free travel expands between Russia and China
Travel rules between Russia and China have also changed as visitor numbers increase. Russia extended visa-free entry for eligible Chinese citizens through Dec. 31, 2027. China has extended its visa-free policy for Russian citizens through the same date. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said ordinary Russian passport holders can enter without a visa for stays of up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges and transit.
The first-half figures follow a broader increase in cross-border travel between the two countries. Chinese official data showed that 154,200 Chinese tourists traveled to Russia in the first quarter of 2026, up 44% year on year. Russia also ranked second among China’s inbound visitor source countries during the first half. The new Russian figures place China at the top of Russia’s foreign tourism market, with more than one-fifth of recorded international guests.