Saudi Arabia has entered the top 3 countries in terms of the number of tourists to Russia for the first time.

For the first time in history, Saudi Arabia has entered the top three countries with the largest number of tourists coming to Russia. This was announced on May 14 by the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).

"For the first time in the history of Russian inbound tourism, Saudi Arabia was among the top 3 markets. Before the pandemic, in the first quarter of 2019, only 210 tourists from Saudi Arabia came to Russia. In the first quarter of 2025, their number increased 47 times to 9.9 thousand," the organization's website says.

It is reported that the kingdom has also become a record holder in terms of the growth rate of inbound tourist flow to Russia. Compared to the first quarter of 2024, this figure increased by 65%.

"Tour operators confirm that tourists from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have a huge interest in Russia. These tourists prefer "free rest", reducing the number of excursions to a minimum. They can often be found in cafes and restaurants in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and now more and more often in the mountains of Sochi," added ATOR.

It is specified that China took the first place in terms of the number of tourists who came to Russia. More than 106 thousand guests arrived from China in the first quarter of 2025. Turkey is in second place with 13 thousand tourists.

Closer to the Middle East: the flow of tourists from Arab countries to Russia is growing

The tourist flow to our country will grow by at least 60%, and in Sochi - maybe 10 times.

On April 28, Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, during a meeting with his Saudi counterpart Saud bin Abdullah Al Muajib, said that the countries should continue working on resuming direct flights. As Krasnov noted, this should contribute to the development of tourism.