6 Jun 2024 13:56

Number of outbound tourist trips halved in Russia since 2019 - deputy PM

MOSCOW. June 6 (Interfax) - The number of outbound tourist trips halved in Russia from 45 million in 2019 to 25 million in 2023, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko told Interfax on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

"The price of traveling abroad has markedly grown since 2019, so it would be wrong to compare the costs with those of the pre-pandemic period. It is safe to say that the number of those who prefer vacations in Russia has grown. Compared to 2019, the number of tourists who choose international travel halved, from 45 million to 25 million," Chernyshenko said when asked how the spending of Russian tourists outside and inside Russia has changed in recent years.

"It is important that residents of our country choose traveling inside Russia and spend money on high-quality vacations at Russian resorts. Money should work for the domestic economy and the development of our regions. Indeed, domestic tourism has become much more popular. An increasing number of Russians travel within their home country. There were 66.5 million trips in 2021, around 73 million [73.1 million] in 2022, and over 83 million [83.6 million] last year," Chernyshenko said.

World-class infrastructure is being created for tourists in Russia, he said.

"New accommodation facilities are being built, including modular hotels. New tourist locations are opening, and large-scale projects are being launched, such as Five Seas and Lake Baikal. Russia has an enormous potential for the dynamic development of tourism. Our country has all the climatic zones, unique tourist routes, cultural and architectural monuments, and ample opportunities for recreation and health improvement. In order to increase the contribution of tourism to the Russian economy, it is important that both the government and business and expert communities pool their efforts," he said.

According to the UN Tourism, Russian tourists spent almost $35 billion abroad in 2018, which put Russia seventh in the world ranking of tourist expenditures.