After Visa Waiver, Tourist Flow from Vietnam to Russia to Rise by at Least 30%

The tourism sector views visa-free entry for Vietnamese citizens into Russia as an important step toward developing inbound tourism to Russia.

Moscow, October 12. /TASS/. The Association of Russian Tour Operators (ATOR) told TASS that the demand for Vietnamese tourists to travel to Russia may increase by at least 30 percent due to the cancellation of visas.

"ATOR expects that visa-free entry for Vietnamese citizens (who currently use the e-visa system) will increase interest in Russian tourism and increase the flow of tourists from this country by at least 25-30%," the association said.

The tourism industry considers granting visa-free entry to Russia for Vietnamese citizens as an important step for the development of inbound tourism to Russia. ATOR explained that tour operators see the Vietnam market as promising in terms of the potential number of visits and the quality of the tourist flow.

Experts say: "Vietnamese customers book comprehensive sightseeing programs around Russia and are willing to spend significant amounts of money inside the country for memorable experiences and impressions. Beyond the important tourist hubs of Moscow and St. Petersburg, Vietnamese tourists show great interest in northern Russia."

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

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