Russia Pivots to Asia as EU Tourism Collapses Under Ukraine Sanctions

European tourist arrivals to Russia have plummeted from 5 million in 2019 to 160,000 in 2025 due to sanctions, flight cancellations, and restrictions stemming from the Ukraine war. Moscow is now actively courting Asian tourists to compensate for the loss of Western leisure travel. The shift reflects the geopolitical fallout of European policies toward Russia's military aggression.

Byte's take

Sanctions work—until they don't redirect the problem elsewhere.