Russian tourism to China has reached the highest level in 13 years
According to an analysis of data from the Unified Interdepartmental Information and Statistical System (EMISS) by RIA Novosti, the number of Russian tourists traveling to China between July and September this year reached 383,000, setting a new high for 13 years.
Therefore, the number of Russian tourists traveling to China in the third quarter reached 383,000, an increase of 13% compared to the second quarter and nearly a quarter higher than the same period last year.
This is the highest number of Russian tourists traveling to China in 13 years - the last time the number exceeded this was in the third quarter of 2012 (407,600 people). The report pointed out that one of the reasons for the increased interest could be the Chinese pilot visa-free policy for Russians starting on September 15.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jia Kun announced on September 2, "In order to further facilitate personnel exchanges between China and foreign countries, China has decided to expand the scope of visa-exempt countries. From September 15, 2025, to September 14, 2026, Chinese authorities will pilot a visa exemption policy for ordinary passport holders from Russia. Russian citizens with ordinary passports who come to China for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, exchanges, or transit can enter without a visa for up to 30 days."
According to Chinese statistics, in 2024, the first destination for Chinese mainland residents traveling to Russia was 1,039,400 people, an increase of 209.3% compared to the previous year. In 2024, the number of Russian inbound tourists received by the Chinese mainland was 1,503,500, an increase of 115.1% compared to the previous year.
Source: rfi
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848308761895049/
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