Although the routes taken by visitors from Asia and the Middle East vary by country, Moscow was the most popular city among tourists from both regions visiting Russia.
The Center for Strategic Research surveyed tourists from 11 Asian and Middle Eastern countries who had traveled to Russia within the previous 12 months. The survey was conducted from June to August. Moscow was visited by 56% of Asian tourists and 62% of Middle Eastern tourists.
St. Petersburg follows Moscow
St. Petersburg was visited by 26% of Asian tourists and 24% of Middle Eastern tourists. Among the Asian group, the area around Lake Baikal reached 16%, Tatarstan 15%, and Sochi and other resort areas in Krasnodar Krai 14%.
The North Caucasus was included in the itineraries of 13% of Asian tourists, while Altai and Siberia were each chosen by approximately 11%. Among Middle Eastern tourists, Lake Baikal ranked at 10% after Moscow and St. Petersburg, followed by Sochi and Kazan at 9%, Altai at 8%, and the North Caucasus at 6%.
Indian tourists choose routes covering multiple regions
The broadest travel network was recorded among visitors from India. Of this group, 72% visited Moscow, 49% visited St. Petersburg, and 24% visited the area around Lake Baikal.
Kazan and the North Caucasus were each chosen by 23% of Indian tourists. The Center for Strategic Research found that travel plans lasting between eight and 14 days and combining multiple cities and regions were particularly popular in the Indian market.
Routes vary by country
Approximately half of Indonesian tourists traveled to Sochi and other parts of Kuban. The share of this group that visited Moscow was 35%.
Among Chinese tourists, a route combining Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Murmansk region and Lake Baikal stood out. Malaysian tourists headed to Siberia after visiting Moscow, while Kazan was the preferred destination among Vietnamese tourists.
The itineraries of Turkish tourists differed from those of other visitors from the Middle East because of their interest in natural areas. Some 39% of Turkish tourists visited Moscow, while 19% visited Altai. Lake Baikal and the North Caucasus were each chosen by 14%, while Murmansk and northern routes also attracted interest.
Discover Russia stand featured at festival in Yekaterinburg
A promotional stand for the Discover Russia national tourism brand was opened during the International Youth Festival held in Yekaterinburg from September 11 to 17. At the center of the stand is the multimedia "Russia Tree," which represents the country's diverse peoples and regions.
The screens show city views alongside landscapes from northern Russia, the Russian Far East and the Golden Ring, as well as traditional motifs, festivals and examples from the country's gastronomic culture.
Pavel Smelov, director general of the Center for Strategic Research, said that travel brings people closer together. Smelov said the promotional campaign presented Russia's different regions within a shared cultural framework through their nature, handicrafts, architecture and aspects of contemporary life.
