Speaking at the event, Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, noted that the Russian market is showing strong signs of recovery. In the first half of this year alone, Vietnam welcomed 260,000 Russian visitors, already surpassing the total for all of 2024, which stood at 232,000.

He attributed the rebound to Vietnam’s visa exemption policy for Russian citizens and the resumption of regular commercial and charter flights operated by both Vietnamese and Russian carriers. These factors, he said, have played a key role in facilitating travel and encouraging greater tourist exchanges.

Beyond policy support, the two sides have actively promoted tourism through a range of joint programmes featuring Vietnamese destinations and travel products in major Russian cities. In return, Vietnam is expected to host Russian Cultural Days in the near future.

Zhanna Puchkova, a representative of Severny Veter (Northern Wind) and Ikar Airlines, said Ikar resumed its charter flight programme on April 18, departing from eight major Russian cities including Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Kazan, Ekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Khabarovsk. These flights use Boeing 777 aircraft with 440 seats.

From April 18 to July 10, the programme brought nearly 20,000 Russian tourists to Vietnam, she said, adding that both tour operations and seat occupancy rates are on the rise. As a result, the airline plans to deploy another Boeing 777-200 by the end of September to increase capacity from the eight cities.

Nguyen Thi Van, General Director of Hanoi Tourist Corporation (Hanoitourist), pointed out that air connectivity remains limited. Direct flights have yet to meet growing demand, especially during peak travel seasons. The lack of flights to key destinations such as Saint Petersburg and elevated ticket prices are pushing up tour costs and undermining the appeal of travel packages, she said.

Van recommended that Vietnamese and Russian airlines raise the frequency of current routes and open new ones connecting Vietnamese cities with Saint Petersburg. She also called for more preferential pricing policies for travel firms to help them build more competitive tours.

Nguyen Hoai Thu, Director of Saigontourist’s Hanoi Branch, stressed the importance of promptly expanding regular charter flights from major Russian cities to Vietnamese tourist hotspots such as Khanh Hoa, Phu Quoc, Da Nang, and Hanoi, in order to accelerate the recovery of two-way tourism in the near future.

Direct flights and visa policies drive surge in Russian tourism to Vietnam

VOV.VN - Vietnam is experiencing a sharp rise in Russian tourist arrivals, driven by the swift resumption of direct charter flights, favourable visa policies, and the country’s strong appeal as a safe, affordable, and year-round warm destination.