Russia and China Eye 6 Million Tourist Trips by 2027 as Visa-Free Travel Extended

Moscow and Beijing are betting big on cross-border tourism, with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko projecting that mutual tourist trips between the two nations will hit 6 million by the end of 2027. The forecast comes as President Vladimir Putin signed a decree extending visa-free entry for Chinese citizens into Russia through December 31, 2027, solidifying a key pillar of bilateral relations.

The numbers already show a sharp upswing. In the first quarter of this year alone, the flow of Russian tourists to China jumped 60%, while Chinese arrivals in Russia climbed 25%. Last year, roughly 2 million Russians visited China, compared to about 1 million Chinese travelers heading the other way. Chernyshenko made the remarks in an interview with RIA Novosti, underscoring the momentum behind the travel surge.

The visa-free extension, he argued, is more than a bureaucratic move—it’s a tangible sign of the strategic partnership between the two countries. “These actions are a vivid confirmation of the work of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary,” Chernyshenko said. With streamlined entry rules and rising demand, the target of 6 million mutual trips by 2027 appears within reach, though both sides will need to sustain the current growth rates to get there.