"They are interested in seeing China's development," Antonova says.

The profound history of Beijing and Xi'an, the modernity of Shanghai and Hong Kong, beach holidays in Hainan, and pandas in Sichuan province, along with the river and mountain landscapes in Guilin, are among the most popular with Russian travelers, she observes.

To cater to this demand, Li Xiaoying's agency has developed small-group "culture-plus-scenery" tours, blending sightseeing with activities like tea ceremonies and traditional crafting.

Li owes China's rising popularity with Russian travelers to word-of-mouth recommendations and China's active promotion of tourism in Russia.

"Social media has fueled demand, and every returning traveler becomes an ambassador," Li says.

Destinations like Hunan have also staged multiple tourism events in Russia, which endeared themselves to Russian travelers, she adds.

Li expects sustained growth in high-quality, experience-driven tourism from Russia over the next five years.

"All travel operators need to do is to help them experience China like a local, not just see it," Li says.