The most popular overseas business travel destinations for Russian business representatives in 2025 were China, Kazakhstan and Turkey, reported the company "Aeroclub" (a leader in the business tourism market and a provider of IT solutions for the industry).
"China again became the leader in the number of foreign business trips in 2025, accounting for 18% of all business passenger flights (16% in 2024), while maintaining the volumes of last year. "A significant part of the demand for business trips to China is formed by the oil and gas and energy industries, which account for 40% of all business trips in the country (38% a year earlier)," the report says.
Kazakhstan, which took second place, showed a 16% decrease in volumes year-on-year. The main contribution to the dynamics was the decrease in trips from IT and telecom companies (-57%): the share of this industry in business trips to Kazakhstan decreased from 35% to 18%. The pharmaceutical sector, on the contrary, grew by 20% and increased its share in the structure of business trips in the country from 8% to 12%. Turkey retained third place, but demand in the direction decreased by 21%, and the share fell to 6% (7% in 2024), the company reported.
According to the study, Uzbekistan has climbed to fourth place from seventh: against the background of growing interest from a number of industries, demand for the destination increased by 20% year-on-year, and the share increased from 4% to 5%.
Employees of IT and telecommunications companies most often traveled on business trips abroad, as in the previous year, but their share decreased to 18% (28% in 2024). Overseas travel in the oil, gas and energy sector decreased by 6%, with the industry's share increasing to 14% (13% in 2024). Pharmaceutical companies maintained the volume of business trips abroad at the level of last year and increased their share to 8% (7% in 2024).
The demand for foreign business trips among Russian business representatives in 2025 returned to the level of 2023, and the share of international flights in the total volume of business trips decreased from 17% to 16%. The average duration of a business trip abroad increased by 6% to 7 days, with the most noticeable increase among business class travelers - by 12% to 7.5 days. The number of business class flights on international routes increased by 4%, and their share increased to 12% from 10% a year earlier.