"The visa-free policy made Russia a place that is, compared with other European countries, easier for Chinese tourists to go to," Meng said.

He said Russia welcomes many young and old Chinese tourists every year.

Travel agencies are worried, though, that Russia may not be able to accommodate all of the Chinese tourists who want to go there. Meng said his company, to ensure employees have a place to stay in Moscow when they travel to that city, must book hotel rooms half a year in advance of such trips.

"Air tickets are hard to get since there are relatively few flights," Zhang Wei said. "The situation might be more stringent this year because of an increasing number of business travelers."

Larisa Smirnova, a Russian teacher at Xiamen University, was chosen by the local government to be an ambassador to promote Fujian's Tulou (earthen buildings), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. She said tourism offers an opportunity to strengthen the friendship that exists between China and Russia.

"Russians are very interested in China's historical sites and natural scenery, such as seaside resorts," she said. "And Chinese traditional medicines and martial arts are also very attractive to Russian tourists.

"Communication can improve cross-cultural exchanges and bring more understanding."

Contact the writers at tanzongyang@chinadaily.com.cn and humeidong@chinadaily.com.cn

Yang Lina in Xiamen contributed to this story.