RUTI expecting foreign tourist arrivals in Russia to double this year

MOSCOW. Dec 27 (Interfax) - Up to 2.5 million foreigners may visit Russia for tourist and business purposes in 2024, which is 95% more than in 2023, the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RUTI) said on Friday.

"The number of foreign tourist arrivals in Russia may reach 1.8 million, in addition to about 0.7 million business trips in 2024. The numbers stood at 670,000 and 605,000, respectively, in 2023. Overall foreign arrivals will practically double," the RUTI said.

The number of foreign tourists served by Russian tour operators has grown manifold from the low levels of 2023, it said.

"According to the preliminary estimates, at least 720,000 organized tourist trips to Russia were taken in 2024, which is around 30% of the overall tourist and business arrivals in Russia. The e-visa system, which was in effect throughout the year, the final adjustment of all mechanisms of visa-free group tours from China and Iran, and a slight expansion of air traffic with key markets were important factors of the growth," the RUTI said.

At least 600,000 organized tourist arrivals from China, or 83% of all organized tours, were recorded, it said.

Organized tours to the European part of Russia grew 2.5 times year-on-year in 2024, RUTI Vice President for Inbound Tourism, Intourist General Director Alexander Musikhin said.

"As expected, most tourists were travelers from China. Arrivals from Middle East states have grown manifold. The number of served tourists from such states as Saudi Arabia and the UAE have passed the pre-Covid levels. Yet some markets did not meet the expectations. For instance, tourists from India were not as active as expected, which is explained with expensive tickets," the RUTI press service quoted Musikhin as saying.

According to tour operators, most tourists visiting Russia in 2024 came from China, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, Armenia, and Uzbekistan.

Foreign tourists mostly traveled to Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Murmansk region, Sochi, Kazan, and the Urals.