Lead

The number of tourist trips by Russians abroad increased by 15.4% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR). The data, based on ATOR’s own analytics, the Russian Federal Security Service’s border service, and national statistics from foreign countries, shows that Thailand, China, and Turkey were the most popular destinations.

Separately, Serbia reported that around 174,000 Russian tourists visited the country in 2025, with further growth in arrivals and overnight stays in the first four months of 2026.

Coverage Comparison

The reports from TASS, the Russian state news agency, cover two aspects of the same trend: the overall increase in Russian outbound tourism and the specific growth in Russian travel to Serbia. The first report, dated May 12, focuses on the Q1 2026 data from ATOR, detailing the overall increase and the performance of individual destinations. The second report, dated May 6, presents an interview with Serbian Minister Nenad Popovic, who highlights the positive trend in Russian tourism to his country.

Both reports present the figures without critical commentary, using a straightforward, informative tone. The ATOR report explains the dynamics behind the numbers, while the Serbia report emphasizes the positive trend and the attractiveness of Serbian cities.

Key Claims

Overall Growth and Top Destinations

According to ATOR, the number of tourist trips by Russians to the top 25 tourist destinations in Q1 2026 increased by 15.4% year-on-year, compared with a 12.4% increase in the same months last year. The top 10 most popular countries among Russians were Thailand, China, Turkey, Egypt, the UAE, Vietnam, the Maldives, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia.

Thailand’s Decline

Tourist traffic to Thailand declined by 3.5% compared with Q1 2025, to 726,000 visits. ATOR attributed this to competition from Vietnam and the Middle East crisis, noting that in March, popular connecting flights to Phuket via Qatar and the UAE became unavailable.

China’s Sharp Increase

Trips to China grew at a “rapid pace,” up 53.7% year-on-year to 690,000 visits. ATOR experts noted that this figure includes not only trips to China itself but also many trips with connections through Chinese cities, as many connecting routes to Southeast Asian countries were redirected through China in March.

Turkey’s Situation

The Middle East crisis also affected Turkey’s dynamics, with an 8.2% increase in tourist traffic. However, ATOR clarified that this was not due to beach tourism, as the sea is cold and traffic to Antalya was stagnant or even declined in March. Instead, Istanbul’s popularity as a connecting hub increased amid the Persian Gulf crisis.

Egypt’s Growth

Egypt posted a 29.9% increase in tourist traffic in Q1 2026.

Declines in UAE and Qatar

The UAE saw a 20.8% year-on-year decline in tourist traffic, while Qatar experienced a 41.8% drop, which ATOR attributed to the loss of March traffic.

Vietnam’s Surge

Vietnam posted a 194% annual increase in tourist traffic in Q1 2026, according to ATOR.

Serbia’s Numbers

Serbian Minister Nenad Popovic told TASS that around 174,000 Russians visited Serbia in 2025, spending more than 640,000 nights in the country. In the first four months of 2026, further growth in arrivals and overnight stays was recorded compared with the same period last year. Popovic named Belgrade and Novi Sad as the most attractive destinations for Russian tourists, according to statistics.