The Moscow tourism industry has significantly recovered after the pandemic and is still growing. Moreover, the number of travelers from other regions of Russia has surpassed all previous records this year.
In the summer of 2023, Moscow welcomed 7.1 million guests, a 17% increase from the previous year. Additionally, 4.6 million visitors visited the city for excursions without staying overnight. Overall, around 12 million travelers visited the city from June to August, which is 35% higher than the figures from the previous year. The majority of tourists were domestic travelers from other regions of the country.
Increased foreign tourists also facilitate Moscow's tourism recovery. During the first half of the year, Moscow welcomed nearly 1 million foreign tourists. Over the summer months, this number exceeded 600,000. China was the most popular non-CIS country among visitors. Other countries in the top 5 included Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and India. Visitors from neighboring countries, including Uzbekistan, Belarus, and Kazakhstan, were the most prevalent.
The Moscow tourism sector is important to the city's economic growth. According to experts, tourists spent 372 billion rubles, 27% more than the previous summer. This will result in the Moscow budget receiving 51 billion rubles.
Moscow attracts tourists with a wide variety of interests. We host around 350 cultural events weekly; residents and visitors can choose from 50 events each evening.
Moscow's hospitality industry is experiencing positive growth. During the summer, hotels and other lodgings had a 77% occupancy rate, an increase of 10% compared to the same period in 2021. Additionally, four new hotels with over 400 rooms have already opened this year, and two more facilities are expected to open before the end of the year.