Tourist flow from Vietnam to Russia to rise by at least 30% following visa waiver

MOSCOW, October 12. /TASS/. Demand from Vietnamese tourists for trips to Russia could rise by at least 30% due to the visa waiver, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) told TASS.

"ATOR expects the introduction of visa-free entry for Vietnamese citizens (who currently use the e-visa system) to boost interest in tourism to Russia and lead to an increase in tourist flow from the country of at least 25-30%," the association said.

The tourism industry views granting visa-free entry to Russia for Vietnamese citizens as a crucial step for the development of inbound tourism to Russia. Tour operators consider the Vietnamese market promising in terms of both the potential number of visits and the quality of the tourist flow, ATOR explained.

"Vietnamese clients book comprehensive sightseeing programs across Russia and are willing to spend significant sums within the country on memorable experience and impressions. Beyond the major tourist hubs of Moscow and St. Petersburg, Vietnamese tourists show great interest in the Russian North," experts said.

Tourist traffic from Vietnam to Russia climbed by 69% in the first half of 2026 year-on-year, while total inbound traffic (for all purposes of visit) increased by 10.7%, the association noted.

On October 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced a visa-free regime for Vietnamese citizens for one year, until October 15, 2027. Under this regime, they may visit Russia for up to 30 days for tourism, business, or other purposes, according to the presidential decree.