MOSCOW, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's trial visa-free policy for Russian citizens is "amazing news" that will change Russians' approach to travel in China, said the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RST), cited by RIA Novosti.
Earlier on Tuesday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced that China has decided to temporarily introduce a visa-free policy for Russian citizens holding ordinary passports starting from Sept. 15, 2025 to Sept. 14, 2026, allowing stays of up to 30 days for purposes such as business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, or exchange visits and transit.
"The launch of the (trial) visa-free policy for Russians is amazing news that will fundamentally change Russian tourists' approach to traveling in China," the RST said, adding that tourist numbers are expected to surge significantly.
The policy could boost tourist flows from Russia by 30 to 40 percent, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia said.
Alexander Bragin, director of the Association of Travel Aggregators, said that the number of search queries for flights and accommodation in China has doubled after the announcement of the pilot visa-free policy.
"We won't be able to see actual bookings until tomorrow, but right now, the number of China-related search queries has already doubled. Overall, our forecasts suggest demand for travel to China could rise by 30 percent or more," said Bragin.
According to data from Russia's Federal Security Service, 836,600 Russians visited China for tourism and private purposes in the first half of 2025, up 38.5 percent from the same period a year earlier.
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