Foreign tourist arrivals in Russia plummeted to just 2.99 million in the first half of the year—a staggering 20% drop compared to the same period last year. This marks the weakest performance since 2021, effectively erasing hopes of a swift post-pandemic recovery for the sector.  Industry experts point to a perfect storm of external factors: the escalating military conflict in the Middle East has severely disrupted air travel, while ongoing operational instability at Russian airports continues to deter international visitors. The high season for inbound tourism, which typically runs from May through September, has so far failed to deliver the expected surge.  

Since August 1, 2023, Russia has been issuing unified electronic visas for foreign citizens. This is a simple and convenient tool that grants the right to stay anywhere in Russia for private or business visits, tourism, or participation in scientific, cultural, socio-political, economic, and sporting events. An electronic visa to Russia is single-entry and valid for 120 days from the date of issue, while it allows you to stay in the country for no more than 30 days from the date of entry. The consular fee is non-refundable regardless of the outcome of the application. The fee is waived for children under 6 years of age.  

Seven climbers have died on Mount Elbrus in the past week. Five were from Bosnia and Herzegovina, two from Russia. Sergey Romashkin, Vice President of ATOR (Association of Tour Operators of Russia), points to one common factor. "In all three cases, teams went without guides at all," he said. "They relied on their own strength."  Even the Bosnian group included experienced athletes, one had even climbed Elbrus before. "But that wasn't enough," Romashkin said. A full climbing program costs 50,000 ($640) to 100,000 rubles ($1280). Some people try to save money by climbing alone. Others hire a guide for just summit day.

As follows from the data of the Onlinetours package tour booking service, in Russia, the average check for foreign tours in the first half of 2026 increased to 196,500 rubles ($2,500), or by 7% compared to the same period in 2025. The demand for trips abroad increased by 44%. Turkey remained the leader in terms of booking volume, accounting for 31% (compared to 35% in the first half of 2025). The average price for a vacation in this country increased by 14% to 226,900 rubles ($2,900).

In 2025, Russia issued 821,262 unified electronic visas, according to the Consular Department of the Foreign Ministry. These numbers are given in the article of ATOR (Association of Tour Operators of Russia). The total number of foreign trips to Russia reached 15.59 million, so e-visas accounted for about 5.3% of overall entries.

Starting September 15, 2025, China introduced a one-year visa-free regime for Russian citizens. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree granting visa-free entry to Russia for Chinese citizens.

Film tourism is a new trend among Russian travelers, where tourists travel to the filming locations of their favorite movies and TV series.

Tourism makes approximately 10% of Greenland's exports, with fisheries accounting for the remaining 90%. Economic diversification has become a key priority for the government, which aims for tourism to account for 40% of exports by 2035

The Russian hotel market has undergone systemic changes in recent years, with both the balance of power in terms of management and the approach to replenishing hotel rooms among the largest players shifting.

In the autumn of 2023, the Finnish government closed its border with Russia due to an influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa.

In 2028, in the heart of the Russian Arctic, above the Arctic Circle, a landmark event for the entire tourism world will take place: the opening of the first polar ski resort Ray-Iz.

After visiting Moscow and St. Petersburg, tourists from the Persian Gulf countries are increasingly visiting the mountain resorts of Sochi.

On October 7, media reports the arrest of Anex Turizm Group owner Neshet Koçkar. His companies control the tour operators Anex and Intourist. However, the situation became clear soon.

Most of the visitors came from China, India, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Cuba. This increase in international tourism has a significant impact on the economy of the city.

From September 25 to 27, the Intourmarket International Tourism Exhibition and Forum was successfully held in Irkutsk at the Sibexpocenter Exhibition Center.

The international tourism exhibition Intourmarket is now held several times a year in different regions of Russia. The nearest project is «Intourmarket. Baikal»: September 25-27, 2025, Irkutsk, exhibition complex «Sibexpocentre».

After a powerful earthquake off the coast of Kamchatka on July 30, 2025, the resulting tsunami quickly spread from the epicenter across the Pacific Ocean.

Currently, the Ministry of Economic Development together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

The order on concluding an agreement on the abolition of the visa regime with Jordan on a reciprocal basis was signed on May 27 by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

On April 23, the French visa center in Moscow stopped accepting old-style passports from Russians. However, there was no information about this on its website or on the page of the French consulate.

The number of hotel bookings and sales of tours abroad increased sharply against the background of the strengthening of the ruble. The favorable rate encourages tourists from Russia to plan future trips, thanks to which tours for autumn and winter are sold, experts say.