Russia's Domestic Tourism Surges 5% with 82.9 Million Trips in Jan-Nov 2025

Significant Growth in Domestic Travel

Russia's domestic tourism sector has demonstrated robust growth, with the number of tourist trips reaching 82.9 million between January and November 2025. This figure represents a 5% increase compared to the same period in the previous year, as announced by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko. The steady expansion brings the country closer to its strategic objectives of elevating tourism's contribution to the national economy and increasing overall travel activity.

Popular Destinations and Regional Highlights

During the first eleven months of 2025, several regions emerged as leading destinations for domestic travelers. Moscow attracted the highest number of visitors with 11.3 million trips, followed by the Krasnodar Territory with 9 million, and St. Petersburg with 6.5 million. Other popular destinations within the top ten included the Moscow region, the Republic of Tatarstan, the Republic of Crimea, Sverdlovsk region, Stavropol Territory, Tyumen region, and Rostov region.

Notably, some regions experienced exceptional growth in tourist inflow, indicating successful development of their tourism infrastructure. These include:

• Karachayevo-Cherkessia (+135%)
• Republic of Adygeya (+67%)
• Chukotka autonomous district (+52%)
• Tver region (+50%)
• Jewish autonomous region (+38%)

Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov highlighted these regions as 'vivid examples of how each territory can unlock their potential' through active investment in tourism infrastructure.

Government Initiatives Fueling Expansion

The observed growth is largely attributed to ongoing government support and strategic initiatives, particularly through the 'Tourism and Hospitality' national project. This project aims to enhance tourist flow and develop the necessary infrastructure. The federal government plans to allocate nearly 400 billion rubles over the next five years to strengthen tourism infrastructure, products, and services across various regions.

Key initiatives include:

• Building new airport complexes and expanding highway networks
• Improving rail passenger services and increasing river cruise routes
• Subsidizing loans for the construction of new hotels, ski resorts, water parks, and amusement parks

These efforts are designed to make travel within Russia more seamless, comfortable, and accessible for all citizens, including the elderly and families with children.

Strategic Importance and Future Outlook

The consistent growth in domestic tourism underscores its increasing importance as a driver for Russia's overall development. Deputy Prime Minister Chernyshenko noted that this trend contributes to the creation of new jobs and local businesses. The country is working towards an ambitious goal of increasing tourism's share of the national GDP to 5% and achieving 140 million annual tourist trips by 2030. The focus on domestic travel has also been influenced by a growing interest among Russians to explore their own country, supported by the development of new tourist routes, active recreation, and ecotourism opportunities.