Russia proving a draw for Chinese tourists

Russia is expected to be a popular destination for Chinese tourists this summer. Sporting action, cool weather and its visa-free policy during the World Cup will help the country boost tourism.

With its visa-free policy for foreign audience members and short flight time to China, this year's World Cup looks set to attract a large number of enthusiastic Chinese fans. It is reported that about 100,000 Chinese soccer fans will go to Russia to watch the games and travel around the country during the World Cup period.

Hotel bookings in Moscow have soared more than tenfold compared with the same period last year. The hotels near the soccer stadiums are nearly sold out, and only about 10 percent of hotels in other areas still have empty rooms, according to data from Ctrip, China's largest online travel agency.