Kathrine Frich
Russian tour operators were stunned to discover how frugal many Chinese visitors were.
Russian tour operators were stunned to discover how frugal many Chinese visitors were.
China Sends Tourists in Droves
In 2024, Russia saw a massive surge in Chinese tourism.
Over 848,000 Chinese travelers entered via organized tours, four times more than the year before. And that’s not counting business visitors or solo travelers.
The $30 Lunch Shock
Russian tour operators were stunned to discover how frugal many Chinese visitors were.
One agency struggled to convince official delegates that $30 for lunch at a decent Moscow restaurant wasn’t a scam.
A Moscow travel agency director revealed, “We had a delegation visit and it took a long time to convince them that 2,500 rubles [about $30] for lunch at a good restaurant wasn’t a rip-off.”
Moscow & St. Petersburg? Not Anymore
Chinese tourists are skipping the classics.
Instead of the Kremlin or the Hermitage, they’re heading east, exploring Primorye, Khabarovsk, and the icy Far North, far from the capital’s drone scares.
Arctic Rush: Murmansk Becomes a Hotspot
Murmansk, once quiet, hosted 26,000 Chinese tourists last year, five times more than the year before.
The draw? Northern Lights, dog sledding, and cut-rate adventure tourism compared to pricier Finland.
Backlash in the North
Locals in Murmansk aren’t thrilled. With independent tourists using Chinese-run guides, cafes, and minibuses booked through WeChat, residents complain of overcrowding, noise, and no rooms left for locals.
At a town hall meeting, one frustrated Murmansk resident let loose: “The Chinese are dirty, they leave garbage everywhere… and they’re arrogant toward locals.”
The governor tried to cool tensions, but discontent lingered.
Tourism War in Moscow
While Far East regions boom, Moscow’s Chinese-tourist infrastructure has collapsed.
Many Russian agencies claim they can’t compete with China’s budget tours, which are only profitable if tourists splurge on local shopping.
Smuggling Claims Stir Tensions
One Moscow agent accused Chinese operators of using tourists as smugglers bringing in electronics like tablets and phones to resell, subsidizing their trips.
The practice allegedly undercuts legitimate tour companies.
Mandarin-Speaking Guides Vanish
New Russian laws require licensed, local tour guides, but many Chinese groups still use their own.
The problem is that there aren’t enough Russian guides fluent in Mandarin after a pandemic-era exodus.
Tourism Isn’t What It Used to Be
Despite the numbers, Russia’s Chinese tourism industry is still limping. In 2019, 1.2 million visited through tours.
In 2024, that number was nearly 400,000 lower. The reasons? Safety fears, changing habits, and rising costs.