Reference News, November 19 - According to the Russian Free Media website on November 17, since China introduced a trial visa-free policy for Russian tourists on September 15, the number of Russian tourists traveling to China has shown a steady growth. It is predicted that by the end of 2025, China will receive more than 2 million Russian tourists.
Maya Lomize, Executive Director of the Russian Tourism Operators Association, said that the number of Russian tourists traveling to China is growing steadily.
A report from the Russian Tourism Union stated that interest in booking flights and hotels to China has significantly increased since China introduced the trial visa-free policy for Russians.
Among the Russian tourists entering China without a visa, the majority are for tourism and leisure purposes.
A Russian travel agency revealed that this year, many Russian tourists have chosen Sanya, Hainan as the starting point for multi-city trips in China. The demand for winter tourism to warm destinations has significantly increased.
The report pointed out that Hainan Island is often called the "Hawaii of the East," and its natural scenery and tropical rainforests attract global tourists.
From January to August 2025, Hainan received 301,000 Russian tourists. Shenzhen is also one of the popular destinations for Russian tourists. One month after the implementation of the visa-free policy, the number of Russian passengers at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport increased by 43%.
The Russian Tourism Operators Association pointed out that Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, as well as Henan Province where the Shaolin Temple is located, are also popular destinations for Russian tourists. (Translated by He Yingjun)
On March 20, people were shopping at the Black River City Cultural Street morning market. Heihe City, Heilongjiang Province, is located on the China-Russia border, across the river from Blagoveshchensk, Russia. After Heihe City resumed the China-Russia group tourism visa exemption business in 2023, an increasing number of Russian tourists came to visit. They shopped at the morning market, had breakfast with locals, and bought fresh fruits and vegetables and specialty small goods. The lively and bustling Black River morning market has become popular online. (Xinhua News Agency)
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7574266091619254830/
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