Because of a cheaper Ruble, a vacation in Moscow costs 1.5 times less than in Berlin, 2.3 times less than in London, and 3 times less than in Paris. The cost for two in a three star hotel in Moscow's center during New Year's (Russia's most important holiday) is presumed to be about 30 thousand Rubles. A similar accommodation in Berlin, long known for its low prices, will go for 46 thousand Rubles, in London for 69 thousand Rubles, and in Paris, a whopping 87 thousand Rubles!
Better prices are not the only reason why many tourists visit Moscow. Due to Russia's visa-free policies with Southeast Asian countries, the influx of tourists from this region has dramatically grown. Sergey Shpilko, Deputy Head of the city's Department of Multicultural Policy, Interregional Cooperation and Tourism, says tourism from South Korea, has grown by 47%. He adds "last year, because of a visa-free policy, 110 thousand Chinese tourists visited, this year the number is already 200 thousand." Thus, while the number of European and North American tourists slightly fell, the amount of Asian and Middle Eastern tourists has grown.
Moscow is also the most popular travel destination for Russian tourists followed by Saint-Petersburg and Sochi.
Comment: What better way to create healthy relationships between countries than visiting each other? Russia does well opening its doors to the world