Inbound tourist flow growth in Russia 2020-2023
The number of inbound trips for tourism purposes in Russia tripled in 2023 compared to the previous year. In August 2023, Russia launched an e-visa for inbound tourists, which contributed to the increase. The visa allows its holders to stay in the country for a maximum of 16 days. Most foreign visitors in Russia come from China.
In the past three years, Russia saw a decline in inbound tourists. First, the country's borders were closed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19 pandemic) in the spring of 2020. Thus, the foreign tourist flow in the country fell by around 93 percent. Next, in 2022, the inbound tourism flow was impacted negatively by the Western sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine. The sanctions included, among other measures, a ban on Russian aircraft in the airspace of the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and several other countries. In response, the Russian government prohibited aircraft from these countries in its airspace.