Moscow welcomed 40,8 thousands tourists from India during the first half of the 2025, which is a 40% increase compared to the same period last year. India has become the second-largest country among non-CIS countries by tourist arrivals. Overall, more than half a million travelers from outside CIS countries visited Moscow between January and June 2025 — a 10% increase compared to the same period in 2024.The Moscow City Tourism Committee notes that this growth reflects both the rising interest from Asian markets and Moscow’s expanding appeal as a global destination.
This upward trend is also seen in hotel statistics. According to a survey, the number of foreign guests staying at Moscow hotels increased by 14% during the first seven months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Based on data from an online booking platform, 94% of all summer bookings for 3-, 4- and 5-star hotels were made by travelers from non-CIS countries - up from 85% last year - with Indian tourists being among the most active guests in Moscow's premium accommodation segment.
Travelling to Moscow for Indian tourists is driven by a couple of reasons. Moscow became more accessible with e-visa opportunities, which allows travelers to obtain an entry visa fully online in just four days, with no invitations or hotel confirmations required. Furthermore, a diverse events calendar, featuring everything from major festivals to business conferences, plays a grand role in attracting more visitors from India.
For example, during the major urban project “Summer in Moscow”, the Russian capital hosted two large-scale events celebrating Indian culture - International Day of Yoga and Bharat Utsav (The Festival of India in Moscow). Such events represent Moscow’s welcoming culture as well as strong cultural connections between the two countries.
"Initiatives like 'Summer in Moscow' enrich the city's cultural life and help showcase how welcoming Moscow is. These events give tourists and foreign delegations an opportunity to discover the city not only through its landmarks but also through its people, public spaces, and cultural diversity. This format is particularly attractive because the festivities unfold right in the streets and parks—the very places where people gather in the summer." - commented Ambassador of India to The Russian Federation, H.E. Mr. Vinay Kumar.
Moscow has also launched several India-oriented initiatives, for example the Indian Vibes in Moscow guide, allocating information about hotels, gastronomy and India-connected landmarks.
Building productive and long-term relationships with the tourism industry is another important part of Moscow's efforts to attract Indian tourists. The Moscow City Tourism Committee participates in leading Indian travel exhibitions — including OTM, SATTE, BLTM, and MILT Congress, as well as hosts targeted business missions and organizes familiarization trips to Moscow for tourism professionals. Such efforts significantly strengthened the city’s visibility among the professional community. A key milestone was the OTOAI Convention 2025 — the first ever held in Russia — which brought together over 250 leading Indian tour operators, media representatives, and travel professionals for an immersive introduction to Moscow’s tourism infrastructure, hospitality, and culture. Looking ahead, the capital will continue to enhance its presence in the Indian market through high-level industry events such as the upcoming Meet Global MICE Congress 2025, while strengthening partnerships that make Moscow more welcoming and accessible to Indian visitors.
Building on this momentum, Moscow is poised for sustained growth in international tourism. In 2024, the city welcomed 26 million visitors in total, generating 235 billion rubles in budget revenues (~2,650,000,000 dollars). By 2030, Moscow expects to host up to six million international tourists annually, driven largely by travelers from India, China, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East.
This upward trend is also seen in hotel statistics. According to a survey, the number of foreign guests staying at Moscow hotels increased by 14% during the first seven months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Based on data from an online booking platform, 94% of all summer bookings for 3-, 4- and 5-star hotels were made by travelers from non-CIS countries - up from 85% last year - with Indian tourists being among the most active guests in Moscow's premium accommodation segment.
Travelling to Moscow for Indian tourists is driven by a couple of reasons. Moscow became more accessible with e-visa opportunities, which allows travelers to obtain an entry visa fully online in just four days, with no invitations or hotel confirmations required. Furthermore, a diverse events calendar, featuring everything from major festivals to business conferences, plays a grand role in attracting more visitors from India.
For example, during the major urban project “Summer in Moscow”, the Russian capital hosted two large-scale events celebrating Indian culture - International Day of Yoga and Bharat Utsav (The Festival of India in Moscow). Such events represent Moscow’s welcoming culture as well as strong cultural connections between the two countries.
"Initiatives like 'Summer in Moscow' enrich the city's cultural life and help showcase how welcoming Moscow is. These events give tourists and foreign delegations an opportunity to discover the city not only through its landmarks but also through its people, public spaces, and cultural diversity. This format is particularly attractive because the festivities unfold right in the streets and parks—the very places where people gather in the summer." - commented Ambassador of India to The Russian Federation, H.E. Mr. Vinay Kumar.
Moscow has also launched several India-oriented initiatives, for example the Indian Vibes in Moscow guide, allocating information about hotels, gastronomy and India-connected landmarks.
Building productive and long-term relationships with the tourism industry is another important part of Moscow's efforts to attract Indian tourists. The Moscow City Tourism Committee participates in leading Indian travel exhibitions — including OTM, SATTE, BLTM, and MILT Congress, as well as hosts targeted business missions and organizes familiarization trips to Moscow for tourism professionals. Such efforts significantly strengthened the city’s visibility among the professional community. A key milestone was the OTOAI Convention 2025 — the first ever held in Russia — which brought together over 250 leading Indian tour operators, media representatives, and travel professionals for an immersive introduction to Moscow’s tourism infrastructure, hospitality, and culture. Looking ahead, the capital will continue to enhance its presence in the Indian market through high-level industry events such as the upcoming Meet Global MICE Congress 2025, while strengthening partnerships that make Moscow more welcoming and accessible to Indian visitors.
Building on this momentum, Moscow is poised for sustained growth in international tourism. In 2024, the city welcomed 26 million visitors in total, generating 235 billion rubles in budget revenues (~2,650,000,000 dollars). By 2030, Moscow expects to host up to six million international tourists annually, driven largely by travelers from India, China, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East.
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