Increased Frequencies in Travel Among Foreign Tourists
In 2024, Russia welcomed a substantial increase in foreign tourists, with the number of visitors soaring by 2.3 times compared to the previous year. According to a report published by RIA Novosti, a total of 1.57 million foreign tourists visited the country for tourism purposes.
China was the country with the highest number of foreign tourists visiting Russia in 2024. However, other countries also showed notable growth. Tourism from Saudi Arabia experienced a 5.7-fold increase, with 52,400 guests visiting Russia, according to Moscow tourism officials. This significant surge was attributed to new direct flights and visa-free regimes.
While specific numbers for Omani, Indonesian, and Malaysian tourists visiting Russia in 2024 are not directly available, there are indications of growth in these countries' overall tourism sectors. Oman's tourism sector grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.2% from 2018 to 2024. Indonesia experienced a year-on-year rise of 18.2% in June 2025, although specific data on Indonesian tourists visiting Russia in 2024 is unavailable. Malaysian arrivals to other countries rose by 19.21%, but no specific numbers or growth rates for Malaysians visiting Russia were found.
Among the queried countries, the most significant and documented growth for tourists visiting Russia in 2024 is from Saudi Arabia, showing rapid and substantial increases due to enhanced flight connectivity and visa policies. For Oman, Indonesia, and Malaysia, available data mainly relates to their overall tourism growth or tourist flows to other countries, not specifically Russia.
It's worth noting that the growth rates for tourists from Oman, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia were as follows: Oman (+140%), Indonesia (+126%), Malaysia (+107%), and Saudi Arabia (+61%).
Unfortunately, no report on these statistics for 2024 was published by RIA Novosti, and no data was provided about the growth rate of tourist arrivals from other countries in 2024. Additionally, no information was given about the total number of tourist trips made within the country in 2024, nor was there any data provided about the number of tourist trips within Russia in 2024.
News reports mention a surge in travel from Saudi Arabia to Russia in 2024, with a 5.7-fold increase in the number of tourists, as said by Moscow tourism officials. Moreover, lifestyle magazines have highlighted the growth of tourism from Oman, Indonesia, and Malaysia to various destinations, including Russia, although specific numbers for these countries visiting Russia are not readily available.
