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Among other things, tourists can drive tanks themselves.
Bild: Screenshot Tanksdriving.org
While Western travelers avoid Russia, tourists from Saudi Arabia and the Emirates are discovering the country for themselves - with luxury, tsarist palaces and military adventures. Marketing on TikTok and simplified visas are driving the boom.
Russia is currently experiencing a surprising boom in tourism - not from Europe, however, but from the Gulf States. As the Financial Times reports, visitor numbers from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have quadrupled since 2019. While Western travelers are staying away due to the war in Ukraine, Moscow is attracting a new target group: Arab tourists seeking luxury and adventure.
The Russian government has simplified visa regulations and is focusing on targeted advertising on social networks. Arabic-language campaigns advertising palaces, winter landscapes and so-called "action tours" are circulating on TikTok and Instagram. New flight connections are contributing to the trend: Flynas from Saudi Arabia now flies directly from Riyadh to Moscow, while Air Arabia offers connections from the Emirates.
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Many guests from the Gulf region prefer four- and five-star hotels and, according to the Ostrovok platform, spend around 30 percent more per night than European travelers. In addition to classic sights such as the Peterhof Palace near St. Petersburg, the program also includes unusual offers. A Saudi tourist raves to the Financial Times: "What we did was the war experience: tank driving, light military exercises, shooting with Kalashnikovs and RPGs. It was exciting and action-packed."
Even the Russian winter climate does not deter visitors. Temperatures of minus ten degrees were "part of the experience", said another guest. For travelers from the desert, snow is an exotic adventure.
Younger tourists in particular are inspired by social media. "The prices and the marketing convinced me," a 27-year-old Saudi told the Financial Times. "There was a lot of advertising on TikTok and Instagram."
Geopolitical developments are also behind the trend: Russia is looking for new sources of income since Western sanctions have kept many traditional guests away. According to economist Elina Ribakova, Moscow continues to benefit from oil and gas exports and is investing heavily in the war economy. "Russia is now a petrol station that produces tanks," she summarizes drastically.
