Wearing warm coats and woolen hats, hundreds of Russians patiently lined up in an orderly fashion in the cold of Moscow, the Russian capital. They weren't waiting to buy tickets for a concert or an exhibition, but to apply for Japanese visas. One person waiting for a visa at the Japanese Embassy in Moscow shared: “We’ve wanted to go to Japan for a long time. Nowadays, it’s harder to get to Europe, while it only takes 4-5 days to get a visa to Japan, so we decided to go to Japan.”
Why are Russians flocking to Japan as tourists?
VOV.VN - Enjoying cherry blossoms in spring, simplified visa procedures, and a strong ruble are some of the reasons encouraging Russian tourists to visit Japan, amidst the difficulties and high costs of traveling to Europe for Russians.
Báo điện tử VOV•22/03/2025
Foreign tourists in traditional Japanese attire at Sensoji Temple in Tokyo, Japan, in March 2025. Source: Reuters
With most European countries banning direct flights to Russia, Russians are exploring new holiday destinations and taking advantage of the appreciating ruble, with Japan becoming a favorite due to the ease of obtaining a visa.
Although Japanese airlines no longer offer direct flights to Russia, the Japanese Embassy in Moscow says the number of Russian tourists is increasing, thanks to the availability of connecting flights.
Dmitry Gorin, Vice President of the Russian Federation of Tourism, said the number of Russians traveling to Japan is expected to double this year, compared to around 100,000 in 2024. The long queues at the Japanese embassy are understandable, given the popularity and attractiveness of Japanese cherry blossoms in spring. Most importantly, the visa application process is not complicated, and there are inexpensive flights, often with layovers in China.
Recently, the Russian economy has been recovering, and consumer demand is high, including demand for air travel and overseas tourism, mainly focused on countries that have not imposed sanctions on Russia. According to statistics, 2024 was a record year for spending by Russian tourists abroad. Russians spent a total of $38 million on overseas travel, higher than the level of 2019.
Source: https://vov.vn/du-lich/vi-sao-nguoi-nga-do-xo-di-du-lich-nhat-ban-post1163074.vov
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