The expert announced an increase in Russian trips to China after the abolition of the visa regime

After the cancellation of the visa regime with China, Russian tourists began to book hotels in this country much more often. This was announced to Izvestia on February 3 by Elena Shelekhova, head of the press service of the OneTwoTrip travel planning service.

According to the service, from mid-September 2025 to the end of January 2026, the number of hotel bookings to China increased by 22% compared to the same period last year, when a visa was required for the trip. The surge of interest is especially noticeable during the January 2026 holidays.

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"This season, China has risen to seventh place in the ranking of all foreign destinations, taking a share of 4.1% of the total number of hotel orders. This is 25% higher than in the previous holidays, when the country was in ninth position. Speaking specifically about the number of bookings during the holidays, the increase was 81% compared to last year," explained Elena Shelekhova.

The simplification of visa formalities, according to her, has led to a significant increase in the tourist flow from Russia to China, both in general and on key holiday dates.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on December 2 that the decision on visa-free entry for Chinese citizens to Russia is very important, as it will serve as an impetus for the development of further contacts. He added that the visa-free regime would facilitate mutual travel for Russian and Chinese citizens.

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