Russian Travelers Spend $49 Billion Abroad, Matching Pre-Pandemic Highs

Russian tourists shelled out nearly $49 billion on international trips in 2025, a figure that comes close to the all-time record set in 2014. Dmitry Gorin, president of the Russian Union of Travel Industry, shared the data with Interfax, noting the industry’s remarkable rebound after years of pandemic disruptions, travel bans, and economic sanctions.

The spending surge marks a sharp recovery from recent lows. In 2024, Russians spent $37 billion abroad, and in 2022, just $20 billion. The 2025 total is just shy of the $50 billion recorded in 2014, when Russia’s outbound tourism hit its peak. Gorin attributed the bounce-back to rapid adaptation by travel companies and a pent-up demand for foreign vacations.

Organized tours remain the backbone of outbound travel, accounting for 70% of all trips. Meanwhile, domestic tourism still far outpaces international travel in terms of volume, Gorin added. Earlier reports showed that Russians are also spending more per summer trip, with the average bill rising 13% to 194,000 rubles. The trend suggests a resilient appetite for travel, even as global conditions remain volatile.