The influx of Uzbeks heading to Russia is on the rise

In 2023, Uzbekistan claimed the second position in the list of countries whose citizens frequented Russia the most, as reported by Russia's Federal Security Service.

The report highlights a surge in the number of foreign visitors to Russia in 2023, with individuals traveling for diverse reasons such as personal affairs, business, or tourism.

The year 2022 witnessed a decline in tourist numbers due to the onset of a military operation in Ukraine, changes in geopolitical dynamics, suspended direct flights to numerous countries, and ongoing pandemic restrictions. However, in 2023, Russia experienced a 20% increase in tourist arrivals compared to the previous year.

The countries featured in the ranking are predominantly neighbors, with Uzbekistan securing the second spot following Kazakhstan. The data reveals that last year, 3,011,000 Uzbeks visited Russia for various purposes, marking a 51.8% surge from the preceding year (2,500,000 people).

Following closely, Tajikistan recorded 2,015,000 visitors, and Kyrgyzstan had 1,014,000 tourist-citizens, securing subsequent positions.

It's worth noting that an earlier announcement disclosed the top tourist destination for Uzbeks.