The tourism expert assessed the growing interest in trips to China

The abolition of visa restrictions for travel to China has significantly affected the development of mutual tourism, including in the corporate segment. Natalia Doroshenko, Deputy General Director of CORPORATE TRAVEL, told Izvestia about this on July 21.

"The visa-free regime has significantly affected mutual tourism in both the private and corporate segments. Previously, the main difficulty was the visa procedure. The paperwork took at least two weeks, and the most difficult stage was the hours-long queue to submit documents. Now this barrier has been lifted," Doroshenko said.

According to the expert, previously the main barrier to travel was the visa procedure, which could take several weeks and required personal submission of documents. After the introduction of the visa-free regime, only a valid passport with a validity period of at least six months became necessary for travel.

According to her, companies with business interests or partners in China have become more likely to plan trips for employees and business representatives. Doroshenko added that the attractiveness of the destination is supported by the developed hotel infrastructure, a wide range of programs and the cultural heritage of the country. These factors make China a sought-after destination for incentive tours that companies organize for employees and key partners.

Two plus One: What has changed in popular Chinese SUVs

On the Izvestia test — Jetour T1 and T2

The introduction of a visa-free regime for Russian tourists from September 15, 2025 has already affected demand in the corporate segment. According to CORPORATE TRAVEL, the number of projects in China increased by 3.7% in 2025.

The expert stressed that there had been interest in China before, but after the lifting of visa restrictions, demand growth became more stable. The company predicts a further increase in the number of trips in this direction by the end of 2026.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree extending visa-free entry for Chinese citizens until December 31, 2027. It was noted that the decree comes into force from the date of its signing.