Italy Alongside France, Greece And Spain Continue Welcoming Russian Tourists As Eu Remains Split Over Ban During The Russia–ukraine War: Everything You Need To Know

Published on October 30, 2025

Italy, alongside France, Greece, and Spain, continues to invited Russian visitors contempt increasing unit wrong nan European Union to enforce a recreation prohibition successful consequence to nan ongoing Russia–Ukraine war. This disagreement stems from differing nationalist priorities—while countries for illustration Poland, Finland, and nan Baltic States favour tighter restrictions to show solidarity pinch Ukraine, confederate European nations trust heavy connected tourism gross and support that recreation should stay abstracted from politics. The EU’s inability to scope a unanimous determination has near nan bloc split, pinch varying visa policies, analyzable recreation routes, and conflicting negotiated stances shaping really Russians proceed to sojourn Europe amid 1 of nan astir contentious geopolitical periods successful caller history.

Despite nan war, Russians proceed to sojourn Europe, but their travel has go much complicated. Visa applications are now much costly and time-consuming, and while nan European Commission has refrained from introducing a broad prohibition connected Russian travelers, various restrictions stay successful spot crossed nan EU.

Diverging National Policies: A Mixed Approach

While location is nary broad prohibition connected Russian tourists, nan visa process for Russian nationals has go considerably much complex. The suspension of nan EU-Russia Visa Facilitation Agreement intends that Russian travelers are now taxable to stricter criteria and longer hold times erstwhile applying for a Schengen visa. This has made visiting Europe a much difficult and costly proposition for galore Russian citizens.

Different EU countries person adopted varying policies. Countries connected nan eastbound borders of nan EU, specified arsenic nan Czech Republic, Poland, and Finland, person taken a harder line. In 2024, for example, nan Czech Republic issued conscionable 148 visas to Russian nationals, while Poland issued 251, and Finland granted 3,211 visas. The Baltic States—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—collectively issued 3,882 visas.

In contrast, Western European countries for illustration Italy, France, Spain, and Greece person continued to rumor a higher number of visas. In 2024, Italy issued 152,254 Schengen visas, while France granted 123,890, Spain issued 111,527, and Greece provided 59,703 visas. Hungary, which has adopted a much lenient stance, issued 23,382 visas.

Growing Demand Despite Hurdles

Although nan process has go much challenging, nan request for Schengen visas from Russian nationals has increased. According to nan European Commission, successful 2024, Russian citizens submitted astir 606,000 visa applications, marking a 16% summation compared to nan erstwhile year. Of these applications, astir 550,000 were approved, reflecting a 9% emergence from 2023.

This surge successful applications indicates that, contempt nan accrued costs and stricter requirements, Russian citizens stay eager to recreation to Europe. The allure of European destinations, pinch their rich | taste offerings, humanities landmarks, and modern attractions, continues to tie Russian tourists, moreover successful nan look of ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Rerouted Journeys: Longer Travel Times and Higher Costs

With nonstop flights betwixt Russia and nan EU still suspended, Russian travelers person had to find replacement routes, typically via third-party countries. Popular transit points see Turkey and nan UAE, pinch Central Asia and Serbia besides serving arsenic occasional hubs. For instance, Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport, connected to 4 Russian cities, operates up to 24 play flights successful 2024, a acold outcry from nan regular flights to Moscow that existed earlier nan war.

These detours person added some clip and costs to travel, making nan travel to Europe longer and much expensive. Despite these challenges, Russian visitors are still walking to nan EU. The Russian Association of Tour Operators has reported a 15% to 20% summation successful Russian tourer visits to Europe during nan 2024 summertime season, compared to nan erstwhile year.

Reduced But Persistent Russian Presence successful Europe

While nan number of Russian visitors to nan EU has dropped importantly since nan warfare began, it is projected that 1.4 cardinal Russians will sojourn Europe successful 2024. This is simply a crisp diminution from nan 4 cardinal Russian visitors who traveled to nan EU successful 2019. In contrast, astir 6.7 cardinal Russians are expected to sojourn Turkey successful 2024, highlighting nan shifting recreation preferences arsenic a consequence of nan conflict and recreation barriers.

The simplification successful Russian tourism to Europe tin beryllium attributed to nan further logistical difficulties and rising costs of travel. However, contempt these obstacles, location remains a beardown desire among Russian travelers to sojourn European countries, peculiarly during nan summertime months. The alteration successful wide numbers does not bespeak a deficiency of liking successful Europe, but alternatively nan challenges posed by nan warfare and its effect connected recreation logistics.

Economic and Diplomatic Ramifications

The fluctuating numbers of Russian visitors person important implications for some nan European tourism manufacture and EU overseas policy. While immoderate countries proceed to use from Russian spending, others are grappling pinch nan broader economical and governmental consequences of nan war. The EU’s fragmented attack to Russian tourism reflects deeper divisions wrong nan national connected really to grip nan fallout from nan conflict successful Ukraine.

As nan business evolves, nan EU will look expanding unit to equilibrium its governmental stance pinch nan economical realities of nan tourism industry. The early of Russian tourism to Europe remains uncertain, shaped by some shifting governmental dynamics and nan changing patterns of recreation from Russia.