Russians Travel to China Three Times More Often Than Chinese Citizens Visit Russia – How Can This Imbalance Be Reduced?
Tourism relations between Russia and China today appear somewhat paradoxical. Formal barriers are diminishing: mutual visa-free travel has been extended until the end of 2027, transport links are expanding, and the number of trips is increasing. However, Russians continue to travel to China far more actively. According to estimates by the Minister of Economic Development, Maxim Reshetnikov, the figures stand at approximately 1.5 million Russian trips to China compared to 500,000 Chinese trips to Russia. The next challenge is to narrow this gap.
China remains the primary source of foreign tourists for Russia. In the first half of 2026, Chinese nationals undertook 380,600 trips for tourism purposes, accounting for 56.3% of the total inbound tourist flow. Over the year, this figure increased by nearly 20%. In other words, there is already interest in Russia—the question is more about how easily this curiosity can be transformed into an actual journey.
The first obstacle proved to be almost literal: Russia still does not communicate sufficiently with foreign visitors in their own language. According to a study by the Centre for Strategic Research, 67% of surveyed tourists from Asian countries encountered a language barrier. Proficiency in foreign languages among tourism industry staff turned out to be one of the weakest aspects of Russian service.
This issue is particularly pressing for the Chinese market. Following a trip through Vladivostok, Buryatia and the Irkutsk region, representatives of China’s tourism industry identified the main barriers as the lack of direct flights, Chinese-language information and navigation, as well as inconsistent standards in hotel and tourism services. They recommended increasing the number of signs and informational materials in Chinese, developing Chinese-language services, and maintaining a more active presence on WeChat, Weibo and Xiaohongshu.
It’s no longer just about a few translated brochures. The Chinese language must accompany travellers throughout their journey – from searching for information and booking to hotels, restaurants, and museums. Since July 2026, a national standard has been in effect in Russia for adapting tourist infrastructure to foreign visitors. For Chinese travellers, this specifically includes bilingual signage, the ability to pay via UnionPay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay, familiar dishes, and access to Chinese television channels. In other words, «China-friendly» service is gradually evolving from a marketing promise into a clearly defined set of requirements.
Sometimes, details that might seem secondary to Russian businesses turn out to be crucial. When Domodedovo Airport underwent the China Friendly audit, experts, including native Chinese speakers, assessed not only the navigation and announcements but also the availability of free access to warm water—an everyday comfort familiar to Chinese travellers. Even the airport’s official website was evaluated for its user-friendliness for Chinese-speaking visitors.
However, one should start speaking Chinese even before boarding the plane. Research by the CSR reveals that for travellers from Asia, the primary source of information about their upcoming trip is social media and messaging apps—used by 49% of respondents—while another 40% turn to video platforms. Consequently, the absence of a Russian region, museum or hotel in the familiar Chinese digital landscape often means that potential visitors simply remain unaware of their existence.
All this is particularly significant because the Chinese market is vast. According to the Russian Union of the Tourism Industry, in 2025, Chinese citizens made over 148 million international trips, while Russian hotels recorded approximately 1.3 million stays by guests from China. Even a modest increase in Russia’s share of this market could significantly impact inbound tourism statistics.
It turns out that Russia today does not so much need to explain to Chinese tourists once again that it has Lake Baikal, the Hermitage, or the Northern Lights. Far more important is ensuring that the entire journey – from the first video on Xiaohongshu to the menu in a restaurant by Lake Baikal – is accessible without constant linguistic and practical hurdles. Chinese-language content in this system is no longer just a pleasant addition but an integral part of the tourism infrastructure.
The next major discussion on this topic will take place in the spring. In April 2027, the first Russian-Chinese Tourism Forum is scheduled to be held in Xi’an alongside the international «Silk Road» exhibition. By that time, the question will likely shift from «how to attract Chinese tourists» to «how prepared Russia is to welcome them.»
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