Russia visited by 1.6 mln tourists in Jan-April 2026 - deputy PM

MOSCOW. June 10 (Interfax) - Russia welcomed 1.6 million foreign tourists in January-April 2026, which is 30% more than in the same period in 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko said at a meeting of the State Council's Tourism Commission as part of the Let's Travel forum on Wednesday.

"The key topic of the meeting is inbound tourism. This is not only an important economic objective, but also a soft power tool and a way to shape Russia's image globally. We see stable interest in travel destinations inside Russia, despite unprecedented external pressure. The inbound tourist flow has increased 1.5 times over the past two years. We have reoriented ourselves toward new markets in the Middle East and Asia. From January to April this year, 1.6 million foreign tourists visited Russia, almost 30% more than in the same period last year," Chernyshenko said.

The meeting participants discussed three clusters of issues related to the entry of foreign tourists, namely transportation and logistics, digitalization and visa facilitation, and the creation of tour packages, the deputy prime minister's press service said.

Chernyshenko called for attaching special significance to developing inbound tourism in Russia's Far East, Siberia, and conventional tourist destinations.

The Russian government is willing to provide the necessary support to foreign businesses investing in high-quality inbound tourism infrastructure, and demand also exists for the development of cross-border routes, he said.

As reported, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed launching a creative tourism corridor between Samarkand and St. Petersburg at the 2026 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). Chernyshenko said identical projects with China, Belarus, and other friendly countries had great potential.

The Let's Travel forum has been held in Moscow at the VDNKh national exhibition center since 2021. Delegations from 75 Russian regions and over 30 countries are expected to participate this year. The program includes a business section, a festival, and an exhibition dedicated to traveling in Russia.