More than 167, 000 GCC tourists visited Russian Capital in 2025
By ; Islam Tawfik
As Moscow gears up for this year’s summer season, tourism officials expect more visitors from the GCC will arrive to the Russian capital in the near future, benefiting from the tailor-made services aimed to ensure travelers enjoy an exceptional visit experience in the one of the world’s safest and most exhilarating places.
Besides, the city offers GCC travelers a growing number of halal-friendly restaurants, high-end hotels with a focus on privacy and comfort, Arabic-speaking support and tailored services designed specifically for them. To make planning even more convenient, visitors can use Discover Moscow (https://discover.moscow) official informational ecosystem that combines a website, social media accounts and print magazine. The ecosystem highlights verified information on carefully selected places that meet the expectations of regional travelers. Together, these services allow visitors to enjoy Moscow’s upcoming summer season with greater comfort, convenience and confidence, while discovering the city’s parks, festivals, outdoor events and cultural life at one of the most vibrant times of the year.
According to the Moscow City Tourism Committee’s research, travelers from the GCC region place particular importance on comfort, safety, high service standards, shopping opportunities and cultural discovery when choosing a destination. Visitors from the region also show strong interest in premium hotels, parks, cultural landmarks and modern lifestyle locations. In Moscow, these expectations are reflected in destinations ranging from iconic sites such as the Moscow Kremlin, Red Square and VDNH to contemporary urban spaces including Zaryadye Park, Luzhniki, riverfront routes and creative clusters such as Red October and Hlebozavod. The city’s growing range of halal-friendly services, luxury hospitality offerings and summer cultural events helps create a comfortable and personalized travel experience for GCC guests.
The Russian capital continues to strengthen its position as a year-round destination for travelers from the GCC region by combining cultural heritage, contemporary urban experiences and high-quality hospitality. Alongside its historic architecture and museums, Moscow offers premium shopping, refined gastronomy, green public spaces and a vibrant summer cultural programme, creating a dynamic yet comfortable atmosphere for international visitors. There has also been a growing interest in customized itineraries that go beyond traditional sightseeing tours. Among the growing trends are beauty-focused trips, wellness and medical tourism, extreme activities and countryside-style retreats that offer a quieter nature-oriented experience within the wider Moscow region. Russian capital is responding to this demand with a growing variety of tailored offers and flexible travel formats. Industry representatives also note a growing interest in travel among women from certain countries of the region, which underscores the city’s reputation as a comfortable and safe destination.
Tourist flows from the GCC region to Moscow continue to demonstrate steady growth. In 2025, the city welcomed more than 167,000 visitors. These include: 71,000 visitors from KSA, 48,200 from the UAE, 18,700 from Oman, 15,700 from Kuwait, 8,900 from Qatar and 4,900 from Bahrain, reflecting increasing interest in Moscow as a year-round travel destination. At the same time, visiting Russia is becoming increasingly convenient for visitors from Arab countries thanks to simplified visa procedures and the city’s readiness to welcome tourists.
Today, travel to Moscow is becoming increasingly convenient for GCC visitors. Russia currently has visa-free arrangements in place with most GCC countries, including KSA, the UAE, Oman and Qatar, while travelers from Bahrain and Kuwait can benefit from Russia’s fast and convenient electronic visa system, which usually takes around four days to process.
