According to the Shanghai City Department of Culture and Tourism, in the first five months of 2026, the Chinese metropolis received about 292 thousand tourists from the Russian Federation. In terms of the growth rate of the incoming flow, Russia took the first place among all foreign countries. In the same period last year, the figure was almost twice as low.
At the same time, Russia is second only to the Republic of Korea in terms of the absolute number of tourists. South Korea has sent almost 448,000 people to Shanghai, an increase of 25% compared to last year. Thailand closes the top three with 244 thousand tourists (+7.2%).
In total, from January to May, Shanghai received 4.38 million foreign tourists — 29% more than a year earlier. In 2025, the tourist flow from Russia to Shanghai increased by 59% compared to 2024, when about 385 thousand Russians visited the city. The growth in the number of Russian tourists is taking place against the background of the active development of visa-free exchanges and the expansion of flights between the two countries.
