Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Beijing, December 8 (Xinhua) — On December 1, Russia introduced a visa-free regime for Chinese citizens based on the principle of reciprocity. Chinese citizens with regular passports will now be able to enter Russia visa-free and stay for up to 30 days. The announcement immediately sparked a stir among Chinese tour operators and has clearly increased Chinese interest in traveling to Russia. Experts are already predicting that the visa-free regime to Russia coincides with the approaching traditional winter tourism season in China, which marks long-awaited holidays such as the Gregorian New Year, the Spring Festival (Chunjie Festival, the Lunar New Year), and the school winter holidays. This could mean that the flow of tourists from China to Russia could break all previous records for the same period.
WARMING UP THE CHINESE'S ENTHUSIASM FOR TRAVELING TO RUSSIA
Despite Chinese tourists' leading position in Russian inbound tourism in recent years, visa-free entry with a maximum stay of 30 days per entry has become a catalyst for further activating the Chinese outbound tourism market to Russia, opening the door to a huge potential audience curious about the vast neighboring country. Chinese travel agencies, like barometers of tourism activity, have recorded both a significant and rapid increase in demand for air tickets to Russia.
Fliggy, a travel platform popular among Chinese youth and part of tech giant Alibaba, reported unprecedented excitement: in just less than an hour after the announcement of visa waivers, demand for flights to Russia soared more than ninefold compared to the previous day, and the number of bookings jumped sixfold.
Meanwhile, Qunar, the world's largest Chinese-language travel platform based in Beijing, noted an explosive increase in interest: on December 1, as of 5 p.m. Beijing time, searches for flights from Hangzhou to St. Petersburg had sharply increased by 4.6 times compared to an hour before the announcement of visa-free travel to Russia, for flights from Beijing to Moscow by 44 percent, and for flights from Guangzhou by two times, and from Shenzhen and Chongqing by more than 30 percent.
Following the visa abolition, leading tour operators published data showing that the top five cities for tour requests to Russia included Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Harbin, while the most popular Russian cities for Chinese tourists were Moscow, Murmansk, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, and Irkutsk.
INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR WINTER TOURS TO RUSSIA
Industry insiders in China agree that the approaching peak winter tourism season and the visa waivers to Russia are creating a synergistic effect, powerfully boosting demand for winter tours to Russia. Wu Chen, chairman and president of Ecwalk, the largest travel agency in Guangzhou, predicts demand for tours to Russia will increase by more than 30% this winter.
In anticipation of the 2025/2026 winter season, Utour, a leading player in China's outbound tourism market, has pre-launched a range of themed ice and snow products, the highlight of which is a Northern Lights hunting tour to Murmansk.
Meanwhile, in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, the country's leading destination for international travelers, many travel agencies are actively promoting products based on the exotic and vibrant Russian tourism landscape. Among the new magnets for Chinese travelers are the shimmering splendor of the Murmansk aurora borealis and Lake Baikal, renowned in China as the crystal-clear "eye" of Siberia.
The equally reputable Chinese tour operator Tongcheng /ly.com/ reports that demand for air tickets to Russia on their platform has actually been steadily growing since early November, while hotel bookings in Russia as a primary destination have soared by 40% compared to the same period last year. Adapting to changing market conditions, the company is now offering not only trips to northern lights spots near Murmansk, Petrozavodsk, and Naryan-Mar, but also exclusive niche products for discerning customers, such as snowmobiling, whale watching in the Arctic Ocean, and reindeer immersion.
Furthermore, many tour operators anticipate an exponential increase in cross-border tourist trips through the Heilongjiang Province checkpoint, which is separated from Russia by the Heilongjiang (Amur) and Ussuri (Ussuri) rivers. They are confident that, thanks to the convenience of mutual visa-free travel, Chinese tourists, especially those from southern China, will eagerly and enthusiastically complement their winter adventures in the outskirts of Northeast China with a border crossing to enjoy the exotic beauty of their neighboring country.
The Changing Profile of Chinese Tourists in Russia
Numerous industry analysts have concluded that visa waivers for Chinese citizens entering Russia are not just a short-term benefit, but rather the key to unlocking the boundless potential for deepening cultural and tourism cooperation between the two countries.
They suggest that the tangible convenience offered by this innovation could radically alter the structure of tourist flow from China to Russia, transforming the landscape of the Chinese-Russian tourism market. This will manifest itself in three new, distinct features: the elite nature of routes and services, the thematic focus of tourism products, and, finally, a rejuvenation of the traveler contingent.
Simply put, while the industry previously catered primarily to organized groups of retirees or elderly people from China seeking budget options, Russia is now facing a more discerning and affluent audience who prefer independent travel.
As analysts explain, the extremely low entry barriers, affordable prices, and the coincidence of vacations with favorable tourist seasons make Russia a magnet for young Chinese travelers among international tourism destinations. This new generation, hungry for knowledge and experiences, values comfort and impeccable service, and seeks adventure and deep, authentic experiences. The domestic outbound tourism market will see budget tours rapidly give way to mid-range and premium segments.
Furthermore, as many tour operators note, visa-free travel will provide a powerful impetus for educational and informational tourism, the organization and holding of conferences and fairs, and business and official trips between China and Russia, which will undoubtedly strengthen mutual understanding and ties between the peoples of the two countries.
Meanwhile, Chinese and Russian experts urge against lumping all visitors together. They believe the interests of Chinese travelers remain multifaceted and vary by age: young people tend to choose original, niche, and comfortable tours, while members of the middle generation prefer classic excursions to iconic cities, and the older generation gravitates toward "red tourism" to sites associated with the revolutionary history of the Communist Party. Against this backdrop, industry players need to focus on diversifying, detailing, and optimizing their offerings, while simultaneously improving the quality and efficiency of their services.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.