Russia has directed more than US$29.8 million towards rural tourism projects since 2022, Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut said. The sector has attracted around 2.5 million visitors over four years, while supported projects have created approximately 1,000 jobs, as reported on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation.
More than 360 initiatives have received funding, and another 100 agricultural producers are expected to benefit from support in 2026. Oksana Lut highlighted the role of rural tourism in supporting local economies and raising public interest in rural areas.
Economic Development Minister Maksim Reshetnikov also took part in the plenary session. He described rural tourism as an independent area of growth that contributes to domestic tourism, rural development and the preservation of local communities and traditions.
Lut noted that visitors to rural destinations mainly come from large cities. She emphasised the educational value of such trips for children, offering them an opportunity to learn how farms operate, where food comes from and how agricultural products are made.
The ministry is also working to promote rural destinations through documentary films, feature series and animated projects about rural life and agricultural work. In addition, legislative changes adopted in 2026 have shortened the procedure for converting certain plots of land not classified as agricultural land for recreational use to up to 90 days, compared with the previous two-to-five-year period.