(MENAFN) The first quarter of 2024 witnessed a remarkable surge in foreign tourism to Russia, as revealed by data from the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR). With nearly 219,000 arrivals recorded during this period, the influx of visitors more than tripled compared to the same timeframe in the previous year. Notably, Chinese tourists constituted a significant portion of this surge, representing almost half of the total arrivals.
According to ATOR’s report, Chinese citizens accounted for nearly 100,000 tourism-related trips to Russia in the first quarter of 2024 alone. This marks a substantial increase from the previous year, where the total number of such visits in 2023 stood at almost 200,000. The association pointed out a shift in the nature of Chinese tourism to Russia, noting that while business tourism predominated in the first half of the previous year, the latter part and the early months of 2024 witnessed a rise in sightseeing tourism.
Apart from China, other countries also contributed significantly to the surge in tourist arrivals to Russia. Among them, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Germany, and the UAE emerged as prominent sources of foreign tourists visiting the country. However, it is the resumption of Chinese tourism that has particularly stood out, considering its historical significance as Russia’s largest source of tourists prior to the pandemic.
The surge in Chinese tourism to Russia underscores the enduring appeal of the country as a tourist destination, despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. With Russia implementing measures to facilitate tourism, such as visa-free regimes for tourist groups in the past, the recent surge in arrivals signals a promising trend for the country’s tourism industry. Additionally, Chinese tourists have consistently ranked among the highest spenders on tourism-related activities in Russia, further highlighting the economic significance of their visits.
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