Belarus enters Russia’s top 10 tourism sources in Q1 2026
11:20, 12 May
For the first time during the “off-season”, Belarus entered the top 10 inbound tourism markets for Russia in January-March 2026. The data were published on the website of ATOR, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, which unites industry companies across Russian regions, BelTA has learned.
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Foreign nationals made a total of 293,200 tourist trips to Russia, an increase of 28.1% year-on-year. The key contributors to growth were China, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia and India. Belarus ranked eighth among the top 10 inbound tourism markets.
“The composition of the top 10 has barely changed: nine out of ten countries remained in the ranking. The newcomer is Belarus, which rose from thirteenth to eighth place. It displaced Iran, which held eighth place in Q1 2025 but fell to eighteenth in Q1 2026,” ATOR reported.
ATOR also noted that Belarus remains one of the most convenient foreign destinations for Russians due to visa-free entry and straightforward logistics from Moscow. The association compiled a list of 13 places worth visiting from Minsk to Pinsk. Package tours to Belarus for two people (excluding travel) start from RUB 23,000 for a two-day trip and around RUB 130,000 rubles for a week-long itinerary.
The National Union of Tourism Organizations of Belarus shared which Russian destinations are most popular among Belarusians. These include Moscow and St. Petersburg, which attract travelers for short sightseeing trips (by air, bus or train). Also in high demand are tours along the Golden Ring, Karelia (often combined with St. Petersburg), Dagestan (excursions in the central region and holidays on the Caspian Sea), ski resorts (Rosa Khutor, Krasnaya Polyana, Sheregesh, Elbrus, Dombay), beach holidays on the Black Sea (Krasnodar Territory) and the Baltic Sea (Kaliningrad), as well as Baikal, Kamchatka and Altai.
