The Association of Russian Tour Operators (ATOR) predicts that Vietnam will become a top favorite destination for Russian tourists in the winter of 2025-2026, thanks to the expansion of charter flights and strong competition with Thailand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The above information was shared by Mr. taras Kobishchanov - Vice Chairman and CEO of ATOR, Russian Express Holding - at the annual conference "Trevolution", where announced 5 destinations expected to attract the most Russian visitors next winter.
According to Mr. Kobishchanov, Egypt will lead the outbound tourism market of Russia this winter, mainly thanks to tour prices suitable for the majority of tourists.
Thailand is expected to hold second place, although growth is slowing and is facing direct competition from Vietnam.
Notably, Vietnam is forecast to rise to 3rd place, although last year there was no charter program organized by Russian travel companies.
With the implementation and expansion of charter flights in 2025, the number of Russian visitors to Vietnam is increasing sharply.
Mr. Kobishchanov said that about 10-12% of Russian visitors to Thailand could switch to Vietnam this winter.
The UAE, with its main destination being Dubai, is expected to rank 4th in terms of tour sales, almost equal to Vietnam.
Meanwhile, China will also be in the top 5 winter destinations for Russian tourists, thanks to the visa exemption policy.
Hainan Island is considered to continue to be the most attractive choice, and the number of tours to China will also increase rapidly.
Russian Express predicts that tourism in China will explode thanks to the new visa policy.
Last March, the Vietnamese Government extended the visa exemption policy for citizens of 12 countries, including Russia, until 2028. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, other factors that help Vietnam become increasingly popular with Russian tourists include convenient flights and competitive tour prices. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia was always in the largest tourist sending market group in Vietnam.
It is expected that in 2025, Vietnam will welcome about 430,000 Russian visitors, contributing to gradually returning the flow of visitors from Russia to the pre-pandemic level of about 650,000 visitors per year.
