Indian tourists in Moscow recorded a 40% rise in H1 2025, pushing India to second place among the city’s non-CIS source markets.
India has become the second-largest country by tourist arrivals to Moscow among non-CIS markets in the first half of 2025, underscoring the Russian capital’s growing appeal for Indian travellers.
Between January and June 2025, Moscow welcomed 40.8 thousand tourists from India, representing a 40% increase compared with the same period last year. Overall, more than half a million travellers from outside CIS countries visited the city in the first half of 2025, marking a 10% year-on-year rise. According to the Moscow City Tourism Committee, this performance reflects both the rising interest from Asian markets and Moscow’s strengthened positioning as a global tourism destination.
This positive momentum is mirrored in the hospitality sector. According to Rosstat, the number of foreign guests staying at Moscow hotels increased by 14% in the first seven months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. Data from the online booking platform Ostrovok also indicates a sharp shift toward international demand. In summer 2025, 94% of all bookings for 3-, 4- and 5-star hotels were made by travellers from non-CIS countries, up from 85% last year. Indian tourists feature prominently among the most active guests in Moscow’s premium accommodation segment.
Several factors are driving this growth in Indian arrivals. Moscow has become more accessible with the introduction of e-visa opportunities, enabling travellers to obtain an entry visa fully online in four days, without the need for invitations or hotel confirmations. In addition, a diverse year-round events calendar, spanning major cultural festivals, citywide projects and business conferences, plays a significant role in attracting more visitors from India.
One highlight of 2025 was the major urban project “Summer in Moscow”, during which the Russian capital hosted two large-scale events celebrating Indian culture: the International Day of Yoga and Bharat Utsav (The Festival of India in Moscow). These events showcased Moscow’s welcoming spirit and underlined the strong cultural connections between India and Russia, giving local residents and visitors new opportunities to engage with Indian traditions in the heart of the city.
Commenting on these initiatives, H.E. Mr. Vinay Kumar, Ambassador of India to The Russian Federation, said: “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.”
Moscow has also introduced several India-focused initiatives designed to make the city more intuitive and comfortable for Indian visitors. Among them is the “Indian Vibes in Moscow” guide, which curates information on hotels, gastronomy and landmarks that are connected with Indian culture or of particular interest to Indian travellers.
Equally important is the city’s engagement with India’s travel trade. Building productive and long-term relationships with the tourism industry is a key pillar of Moscow’s strategy to attract Indian tourists. The Moscow City Tourism Committee actively participates in leading Indian travel exhibitions, including OTM, SATTE, BLTM and MILT Congress, while also hosting targeted business missions and organising familiarisation trips to Moscow for tourism professionals. These efforts have significantly strengthened Moscow’s visibility and reputation among India’s travel community.
A major milestone in these partnerships was the OTOAI Convention 2025, the first ever held in Russia. The convention brought together more than 250 leading Indian tour operators, media representatives and travel professionals for an immersive introduction to Moscow’s tourism infrastructure, hospitality offerings and cultural experiences. Delegates explored the city’s hotels, venues and attractions, gaining first-hand insights into how Moscow can cater to Indian leisure, MICE and premium travel segments.
Looking ahead, Moscow plans to further enhance its presence in the Indian market through high-level industry platforms such as the upcoming Meet Global MICE Congress 2025, while continuing to build partnerships that make the city even more welcoming and accessible for Indian visitors.
Building on this strong foundation, 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 (approximately 2.65 billion US dollars). By 2030, Moscow expects to host up to six million international tourists annually, with a significant share of this growth anticipated to come from India, China, the broader Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East.
With rising arrivals, targeted trade engagement, India-centric experiences and simplified travel formalities, Moscow is reinforcing its position as one of the most dynamic and welcoming European capitals for Indian travellers.
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