Is Russia safe for tourists now?

Are there still tourists in Russia?

Russia... tourists, huh? Sigh.

Yeah, there are still some tourists.

Just... nothing like before.

Remember 2019? Moscow was buzzing. Now... it's quieter. So much quieter.

• 2022 saw a massive fall.
• Something like 200,100 foreigners visited. It used to be millions.
• A 96.1% drop. Think about that.

My friend Anya used to guide tours. Now... she teaches English online. "Better than nothing", she says. I wonder, though. Better for whom?

She misses showing off St. Petersburg's Hermitage. I miss the Hermitage too, even though I only went once. It was, I think, 2017? Yes, 2017.

• Pre-pandemic/invasion numbers were high. Rising, even.
• Domestic tourism was doing well too. People exploring their own country.
• All that... halted.

Can tourists fly to Russia?

Okay, so Russia. Yeah, no way am I going there right now.

My cousin, Anya, lives near Moscow. We used to visit every summer. Now? Forget about it.

Last time I saw her was...2021, I think? At her dacha. Sun was blazing, shashlik grilling...felt like a different world, honestly.

Now? Constant texts from her. "Everything is...complicated." That's her code for awful.

Flights? The UK gov says absolutely not. FCDO strongly advises against it, full stop. The invasion, you know? It's all about Ukraine. So no.

• Safety is a HUGE issue. Anya says protests are squashed fast.
• Entry stuff? Irrelevant. I'm not chancing it.
• Getting help if something goes wrong? Haha, good luck.

Health? I know their healthcare isn't what it used to be. Anya's dad struggles to get his meds. Plus, COVID is still a thing, probably worse there. Anyway. Bad idea. That’s for sure.