Industrial tourism in Russia

Main article: Tourism in Russia

History

2024: Industrial tourism growth by 40% to 2 million people

The number of industrial tourists in Russia in 2024 increased by 40% and reached 2 million people, which indicates an increase in interest in visiting production facilities. This became known in February 2025 from the data of analysts of the consulting company Strategy Partners.

According to Vedomosti, in 2025, an increase in the number of visitors to industrial facilities to 2.24 million people is predicted, which means an increase of 12% compared to 2024.

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Фото: Freepik

As part of the state program "Open Industry," implemented since 2020 by the Agency for Strategic Initiatives together with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, 82 regions and 1,500 Russian enterprises have joined the project. In 2024, the program expanded to eight new regions, including the Leningrad Region, the Altai Republic and the DPR.

Anna Trepalova, head of TMK's industrial tourism department, said that more than 50 thousand people visited the company's sites in 2024, which is 20% higher than in 2023. The tourism infrastructure was created at four enterprises of the company: Volzhsky, Pervouralsky, Seversky and Chelyabinsk plants.

According to a representative of the Magnitogorsk Metallurgical Plant, in 2024 the company conducted about 900 thematic industrial tours, which were visited by more than 17 thousand people. Since the launch of the program in 2018, almost 61 thousand people have visited excursions at MMK, including more than 24 thousand children.

The head of the competence center for the development of industrial tourism MMKMaria Pushkarskaya noted that industrial tourism has become a new policy of business openness that goes beyond a simple tool for promoting the brand.

The program also includes large Russian companies: Norilsk Nickel, Severstal, Eurochem, RusHydro, Sibur, Rusagro and others. The representative of RusHydro reported on several thousand visitors to the company's energy facilities in 2024. To develop this direction, the company opened its first information and tourism center on the observation deck of the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric station.^[1]

Increase in the number of industrial tourists to 1 million people

Industrial tourism in Russia is showing a steady increase in popularity. According to Olga Zakharova, director of the Urban Economy division of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI), in 2023 the number of tourists visiting Russian enterprises exceeded 1 million people. This became known in July 2024.

According to Vedomosti, the dynamic development of industrial tourism has been observed since 2022. This was facilitated by Western sanctions and the depreciation of the ruble, which is why many Russians began to look for new impressions within the country. Travel companies, in turn, began to develop promising domestic destinations.

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Фото: Unsplash

Among the popular objects of industrial tourism are the Arkhangelsk Algae Plant, which produces alginate cosmetics and food products from Arctic laminaria, as well as the Khokhlomskaya Painting factory in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. Excursions to wineries and cheese factories are in particular demand. The Abrau-Durso plant near Novorossiysk annually receives more than 500 thousand visitors.

Industrial tourism attracts not only fans of unusual experiences, but also those who want to decide on their profession. Enterprises, in turn, use excursions to attract potential employees. Some companies organize light shows, performances and even fashion shows at production sites.

According to the head of the PromTurism.Workshop project, Sergei Ryzhov, the cost of industrial excursions in 2023 ranged from 500 to 2000 rubles. For schoolchildren and students, admission to many enterprises is free.

The leaders in the number of industrial tourists are, Perm Territory,, Amur Kemerovo Nizhny Novgorod,, Sverdlovsk Chelyabinsk regions, and. Moscow Among St. Petersburg individual enterprises stand out "," "" and Metalloinvest"." Norilsk NickelSibur^[2]

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