Reference News Network, December 17 report. According to the Russian "Biznes Gazeta" website, December 16 report, analysts from the travel service platform "Toutiao" found that after China introduced a visa-free policy for Russian citizens with ordinary passports, the interest of Russians in traveling to China has significantly increased. During the period from September 15 to December 15, demand grew by 31% compared to the same period last year. Sochi became one of the regions with the most rapid growth, with ticket bookings doubling.

Data shows that the demand from residents of Kazan and Saint Petersburg also increased significantly. Overall, Moscow residents accounted for half of the total number of tourists traveling to China during the same period. Residents of Vladivostok, Irkutsk, and Khabarovsk also accounted for a significant proportion.

The report said that Beijing remains the most popular destination, accounting for about one-third of all ticket sales. Then come Shanghai, Guangzhou, Harbin, Hong Kong, and Sanya. Within three months of the visa-free policy, the number of Russian tourists visiting Sanya has doubled, and Shanghai has seen a twofold increase.

The average price of an economy class round-trip ticket is about 89,000 rubles (1 ruble is approximately 0.09 yuan RMB - note from this newspaper), an increase of about 6% compared to last year. With the recovery of tourism flow, accommodation bookings in China have doubled. Most people choose to stay in hotels.

The report said that, looking at the age structure of tourists, the millennial generation dominates, accounting for 45% of air ticket sales. The X-generation tourists account for 30%, and the Z-generation tourists account for 14%.

Arseny Kuzmin, deputy director of the "Toutiao" platform responsible for aviation market development, pointed out that the visa-free policy is a key mechanism for quickly activating the popularity of Chinese tourism. He said that young tourists responded most strongly to this new measure, and the tourism map in this direction continues to expand, including the rising popularity of the seaside resort of Sanya. Experts predict that the popularity of Chinese tourism will continue to rise in 2026. (Translation/Heyingjun)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7584774981763039771/

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