The flow of foreign tourists to Russia increased by 20% in the first half of the year, with the Murmansk Region among the most sought-after destinations. This was announced by Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov during a meeting on the development of tourism and the hospitality industry chaired by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
As Maxim Reshetnikov noted, inbound tourism in Russia continues to show growth. By the end of 2025, the increase in tourist traffic amounted to 12%, and for the first half of this year – another 20%.
"We see a regional deepening. They are already traveling not only to Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also to other regions: Murmansk, Vladivostok, Kazan. The demands on the quality of services are growing, and businesses are adapting to the cultural demands of tourists," said Maxim Reshetnikov.
The Murmansk Region is confidently consolidating its status as one of the key centers of attraction for foreign travelers. In 2025, the region received 54.5% more foreign visitors than a year earlier, and in the winter season of 2026, it entered the top three in the Northwestern Federal District in terms of the growth of foreign tourists (+33.8%) and took the first place in the country in terms of the share of foreign citizens among all those accommodated in collective accommodation facilities (24%).
"The cold Arctic captivates foreign guests with a warm welcome. We listen to guests and build programs around their interests, taking into account everything from language to gastronomic habits. We provide navigation and menus in English and Chinese at the main sites, tourist centers and restaurants. And we regularly teach our guides, hoteliers and restaurateurs the intricacies of communicating with foreigners so that every guest feels at home in the north," commented Alexandra Kondaurova, Deputy Governor of the Murmansk Region.
According to big data analytics, about 50,000 tourists from China visited the Murmansk Region in 2025. This indicator reflects an all-Russian trend: China remains the main source of inbound tourist traffic. As it was announced at the meeting, tourists from China predominate in the structure of hosted foreign guests – more than 22%. Next are the Persian Gulf countries, Turkey and India.
/ Ministry of Tourism and Entrepreneurship of the Murmansk Region /