Russian Official Urges Regions to Keep Tourists Coming

MOSCOW, April 15 – At a government meeting on tourism development, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko issued a direct challenge to regional governors and federal ministries. He called for a coordinated push to maintain the country's rising domestic travel numbers, even as international destinations compete for Russian vacationers.

"We need to focus the efforts of all relevant ministries, agencies, and regions to preserve the growth of our tourism sector and visitor numbers," Chernyshenko stated, describing the task as significant and demanding.

He pointed to Central Bank figures showing Russians spent roughly $50 billion on foreign travel last year. Chernyshenko framed this as a major economic opportunity for domestic destinations.

"Respected regional leaders, you can see the scale of the potential market," he said. "If you can attract even half of those travelers with your local tourism offerings, infrastructure, and services, that’s $25 billion right there. You must compete for these resources to channel that spending into your regional economies." His remarks underscore a strategic pivot to capture more tourist spending inside Russia's borders.