Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) – Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) –
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Foreign tourists continue to actively plan summer trips to the capital of Russia: according to the online hotel and apartment booking service Ostrovok, the number of bookings in Russian accommodation facilities for the summer season of 2025 has increased by 10% compared to last summer. At the same time, Moscow remains the most popular destination among foreign guests: it accounts for every second booking from foreigners in the country.
The top 10 destinations popular with foreign tourists this summer include Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Kazan, Kaliningrad, Sochi, Irkutsk, Volgograd, Novosibirsk, and Nizhny Novgorod.
"Inbound tourism is an important driver of the economy. The 10% growth in bookings for the summer of 2025 shows that interest in Russia remains, and the capital remains the main magnet for foreign guests. But to maintain this momentum, we need to take into account the requests of foreign guests: transfers, excursions in their language, services adapted for different cultures. This encourages hotels and restaurants to improve their service standards, which ultimately makes the country even more competitive in the international arena. Thus, the development of inbound tourism is not only the country's image, but also a real economic benefit for the city and its residents," said Nikita Kondratyev, Director of the Department of Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia.
The main flow of inbound tourism to Moscow in the summer of 2025 is formed by guests from Belarus, India, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, China, Turkey, Oman, the UAE, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Darya Kochetkova, Managing Director of the Ostrovok Group of Companies, noted: "Trips to Russia are becoming easier and more accessible for foreign tourists: for example, the visa regime with Oman was recently lifted, and direct flights to Saudi Arabia are expected to start in the fall. Improving the transport network and easing the visa regime are key factors in the growth of inbound tourism, and we expect the number of bookings from tourists from these countries to continue to grow."
The most popular hotels among foreign guests are four-star hotels: they account for more than a third of all bookings (35%). Three-star hotels (19%) and five-star hotels (15%) are also popular.
"In order to efficiently handle the growing flow of foreign tourists, it is important to understand that their requests differ from the needs of our domestic tourists. For example, among the most frequent requests from foreign guests are the organization of transfers from/to the airport, accommodation in multi-room rooms for large families, excursion services in the native language, as well as compliance of hotels with Muslim Friendly, China Friendly, India Friendly standards. This includes halal or adapted food, the presence of staff who speak foreign languages, and taking into account the cultural characteristics of guests. Knowing this, representatives of the hospitality industry should adapt their service and be ready to provide the appropriate services," commented Daria Kochetkova.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
