Russian tourists flock to visa-free cruises from China, Shanghai-Japan routes top sales3

Russian tourists are prioritising foreign cruise destinations that offer visa-free entry or simplified visa procedures and convenient flight connections, with cruises departing from China seeing the highest demand, according to the Russian Union of Tour Industry (RST).

"Shanghai cruises with calls at Japanese ports currently top the sales charts. This is one of the destinations showing the most noticeable positive dynamics compared to last year. Interest in visa-free China has grown overall, and a cruise allows travellers to combine visits to several Asian destinations in a single trip," said Andrey Mikhaylovsky, a member of the RST cruise commission and general director of the cruise centre "Infolot".

Mikhaylovsky also noted that Nile cruises and cruises departing from Turkey—primarily Istanbul routes in the Eastern Mediterranean—are popular this autumn. "Southeast Asia—Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and other countries in the region—rounds out the list. Demand for such routes is gradually growing along with the general interest of tourists in Asia," he added.

Elena Kugaryants, commercial director of the Cruise. ru 6582service, confirmed that cruises from China also hold the top spot in demand at her company. "The main difference between foreign cruises and cruises in Russia is the short booking depth. While early booking for Russia is already underway, we see no revival for foreign cruises. The same applies to New Year dates. Currently, off-season cruises—mid-October to November—are being actively bought up, when prices are at their lowest," she concluded.