In sub-zero temperatures just outside Moscow, husky sleds glide across snow-laden fields carrying visitors from Oman and the United Arab Emirates. For many, it is their first encounter with real winter. At Nazarievo Husky Park, 45 kilometres west of central Moscow, Arabic signage now accompanies Russian, a visible sign of a growing and unexpected tourism trend.
Nearby, Qatari families feed deer in icy enclosures while Emirati visitors steer hovercraft across frozen lakes. Further north in the Dmitrov district, Saudi tourists rise in hot air balloons above vast white landscapes. For Gulf visitors accustomed to desert heat, the Russian winter has become an exotic adventure.
This is not a marginal development. It reflects a structural shift in Russia’s global positioning.
Background: Russia’s Pivot Away from the West
Four years into the war in Ukraine, Russia’s geopolitical and economic realignment is reshaping sectors far beyond energy and defense. As relations with Europe remain strained and Western tourism has collapsed, Moscow has accelerated outreach to Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
The Gulf states particularly Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar have emerged as key diplomatic interlocutors. They have played roles in prisoner exchanges and humanitarian negotiations linked to the Ukraine conflict. Political pragmatism has translated into practical cooperation: more direct flights, simplified visa regimes and warmer official ties.
Tourism is one of the most visible dividends of this rapprochement.
Official figures show that while Chinese visitors still dominate inbound travel, Saudi Arabia rose to second place last year with nearly 75,000 visitors a year-on-year increase of roughly 36 percent. The UAE contributed more than 59,000 tourists, ranking sixth overall. Across the Arab world, visitor numbers have in many cases doubled compared to pre-pandemic levels.
High-Spending Visitors in a Sanctions Economy
The profile of Gulf tourists is economically significant. They typically stay in high-end central Moscow hotels, dine in premium Russia-themed restaurants and shop in luxury districts. Tour operators report average discretionary spending of 200,000–300,000 roubles per visitor on additional services alone.
Sanctions have inadvertently reinforced this spending pattern. Western payment systems such as Visa and Mastercard do not function in Russia, requiring visitors to carry substantial cash — up to $10,000 without declaration. This constraint has created a largely cash-based tourism flow that benefits luxury retailers and service providers.
In contrast to Western tourists before 2022, Gulf visitors often travel in family groups and book curated, high-cost winter experiences: husky sledding, hovercraft racing, private snowmobile tours and bespoke cultural excursions. The Russian winter itself has become a marketable commodity a form of climatic tourism appealing to residents of desert climates.
The Numbers in Context
Russia welcomed approximately 1.64 million foreign tourists in 2025, according to the national association of tour operators a modest 4.5 percent increase from the previous year. However, the figure remains dramatically below the 4.2 million visitors recorded in 2018 during the FIFA World Cup.
The asymmetry is notable. While tens of thousands of Gulf nationals are now visiting Russia, outbound Russian tourism to the UAE alone reached 2.45 million last year, reflecting Dubai’s role as both a leisure and financial hub for Russians navigating sanctions. Russian businesses have increasingly established offices in Dubai, deepening economic interdependence.
Structural Limits to Growth
Despite momentum, the boom faces constraints. Periodic airport closures due to Ukrainian drone attacks complicate flight schedules. Heightened border checks extend arrival times. Insurance limitations and geopolitical risk perceptions deter broader segments of global travelers.
Moreover, the current surge is concentrated geographically and socioeconomically. Moscow and its surrounding regions capture the majority of Gulf visitors, while broader regional dispersion remains limited. Growth is therefore real but narrow.
Strategic Implications
The rise in Arabic-speaking tourism illustrates three broader dynamics.
First, Russia’s foreign policy pivot is generating tangible civilian economic flows, not merely diplomatic symbolism. Tourism acts as a soft-power channel reinforcing new partnerships.
Second, Gulf states are pursuing diversified geopolitical engagement. Their willingness to deepen ties with Moscow while maintaining Western alliances underscores a strategy of multi-alignment rather than bloc politics.
Third, sanctions have reshaped, rather than halted, Russia’s integration into global networks. While Western leisure travel has largely evaporated, new corridors are emerging particularly with China and the Gulf.
The spectacle of Emirati tourists drifting across frozen Russian lakes may appear anecdotal. In reality, it is emblematic of a broader geopolitical recalibration: as old travel routes close, new ones open often in unexpected directions.
With information from Reuters.
