MOSCOW, July 3. /TASS/. Kamchatka, Altai, Tyumen, and the Russian North are priority destinations for launching direct flights from China, Russian Deputy Economic Development Minister Dmitry Vakhrukov said at a meeting with Minister of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China Sun Yeli.
"We propose preparing a priority list of regions for the launch of direct flights for the next meeting. There are currently no flights from China to popular destinations such as Kamchatka, Altai, Tyumen, and the Russian North, even though the infrastructure to accommodate Chinese tourists is already in place there. <…> We look forward to the Chinese side’s assistance in this matter," Vakhrukov was quoted as saying by the ministry’s press service.
In the first quarter of 2026, the mutual flow of tourists between the countries doubled compared to the same period last year, reaching 825,000 people. This result was driven by the introduction of a visa-free regime and a relationship of trust between the relevant agencies, the ministry noted.
The tenth meeting of the heads of tourism administrations from Russia, China, and Mongolia took place on the previous day. Key decisions were adopted during the meeting, moving the historic Great Tea Road project from the discussion stage to the practical implementation phase.
