Turkey is at the top of the list again... Which country do Russians prefer most for their international travel?

International travel by Russian citizens increased in the first half of 2024. According to border and customs statistics released by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), Russians made 12.6 million international trips between January and June 2024, which represents a 9% increase compared to the same period last year. Turkey remains in first place with a 9.4% increase.

According to the FSB's methodology, the statistics take into account various travel purposes: business, tourism, private visits, education, permanent residence, vehicle services, and military service. If a person crosses the border more than once during the same period, each crossing is counted as a separate trip.

TRAVEL TO TURKEY INCREASED BY 9.4 PERCENT

Turkey continues to be the country most visited by Russian tourists. In the January-June 2024 period, trips to Turkey increased by 9.4% compared to last year, reaching 2.5 million. Turkey remains a popular destination for Russian citizens for both holiday and business travel.

Turkey is followed by Abkhazia (2.8% increase), Kazakhstan (9% decrease), the UAE (11.7% increase), China (14.5% increase), and Thailand (30.1%).

Tourist trips to China exceeded 405 thousand.

5 MILLION PEOPLE TRAVELED ABROAD IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS

In the first six months, Russians made 4.9 million international trips for tourism purposes, which represents a 20% increase compared to the previous year.

In the first half of 2024, trips made by foreigners to Russia also increased by 11.5%, reaching 7.9 million. Among the countries sending the most visitors are Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and China. The number of tourists arriving from China increased ninefold to 301.8 thousand.