Tourist flow between Russia and China to exceed 4 mln trips in 2026

ST. PETERSBURG, June 8. /TASS/. The mutual tourist flow between Russia and China is projected to increase by 60% in 2026 compared with the previous year and reach 4-4.5 mln trips, director of the Russian Economic Development Ministry’s department for multilateral economic cooperation and special projects Nikita Kondratyev said in an interview with TASS at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2026).

"If we look at the first three to four months [of 2026], overall growth stands at 60%. About 25% of that is growth in Chinese visitors traveling to Russia, while travel by Russians [to China] is up around 60%. We hope this dynamic continues. <...> By the end of the year, in absolute terms, we expect the mutual tourist flow with China to reach 4-4.5 mln trips," he said.

The department head noted that following the summer season, tourist traffic from China to Russia is expected to grow by around 40-45% year-on-year. According to him, the number of flights between the two countries is increasing.

"If we compare the number of flights operated at the end of 2025 with the current figures, there are already 30-40 additional flights over these three to four months. Clearly, the growing tourist flow is being supported in part by the expansion of air traffic. New cities are also being added. Siberia is now well connected with China, as is the Russian Far East, not to mention Moscow and St. Petersburg. Both our airlines and Chinese carriers are increasing the number of flights," Kondratyev said.

He also stressed that amid the suspension of tour sales to Middle Eastern countries, many Russians have shifted their attention to China.

"China is offering a very reasonably priced tourism product while maintaining a good level of service. As a result, this is becoming competitive even with destinations such as Thailand, Turkey, where prices are rising sharply, and Egypt," the department head added.