Russia To Give Visa-Free Access To Visitors From China, Malaysia & Saudi Arabia

Russia is to introduce a reciprocal visa-free regime with China, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, according to a Government strategic session on tourism development.

A simplified visa regime with these countries should attract an additional two million foreign tourists. The number of foreigners visiting Russia is projected to grow from 5 million at present to 11 million by 2030.

In Russia, budget travelers spend about US$30 per person per day on average, mid-range travelers spend US$82 per day, and luxury travelers spend around US$239 per day. At a rough estimate, the visa-free system for these countries should generate about US$164 million into the Russian economy.

Malaysia does not track its citizens overseas expenditure, however in total, Chinese tourists spent about US$248 billion while on overseas trips in 2024, a 57.8% year-on-year increase, with Saudi Arabian tourists spending about US$28 billion.