Russia Finalizes Unified Concept for Youth Tourism Development Through 2030

A pivotal strategic session took place in Moscow on December 17th and 18th, 2025. The central focus was the creation of a unified strategy for advancing youth tourism across the Russian Federation up to the year 2030. This high-level meeting was organized under the umbrella of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) flagship initiative, the More Than Travel program. The event successfully merged the objectives of youth policy with the priorities of the broader tourism sector.

The two-day session brought together a diverse group of stakeholders. Attendees included representatives from various federal executive bodies, leading experts from the tourism industry, and the project offices managing the More Than Travel initiative. Crucially, participants represented all 89 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Key agenda items involved designing an operational model for regional project offices, unveiling strategic plans slated for 2026, and initiating the development of a comprehensive, long-term Roadmap for beneficial travel development extending through 2030.

The More Than Travel program, which commenced operations in 2021 following a directive from Russian President Vladimir Putin, operates as a component of the Russia – Land of Opportunity platform. Its core mission is to facilitate educational journeys for active and high-potential young individuals. Since its inception, this initiative has served more than 320,000 young participants. The program artfully blends tourism experiences with substantial educational content and social utility, effectively transforming trips into meaningful encounters that foster deeper connections to Russia's various regions.

Olga Teterina, the program's Director General and a significant figure within the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives, stressed the vital importance of state oversight for educational components. She confirmed that all learning materials developed within the program’s framework will secure official state accreditation. This ensures that participants receive documented validation of their acquired educational experiences. Furthermore, 2025 marked the launch of the first All-Russian competition, alongside the establishment of patriotic tourism camps, including a notable event held on Shumshu Island, signaling an expansion of the program’s scope.

Denis Ashirov, State Secretary and Deputy Head of Rosmolodezh, highlighted that this strategic session laid the essential groundwork for transitioning from isolated, one-off projects toward a sustainable system for fostering patriotic youth tourism. For 2026, the program is set to enter a new phase, introducing revised participation rules, updated formats, and novel routes aimed at significantly boosting travel accessibility. Stanislav Kireev, Deputy Director General of the ANO More Than Travel, pointed out the integration of gamification elements within the mobile application. This feature is designed to boost participant motivation while simultaneously providing real-time analytical data for program refinement.

This systematic approach to youth tourism development clearly signals a governmental commitment to leveraging educational and patriotic travel. This focus extends to developing opportunities within single-industry towns, which is seen as a driver for local job creation and the growth of the hospitality sector. The strategic meeting firmly cemented the direction toward sustained, meaningful, and systematic engagement of young people in exploring the nation through a synergy of tourism, education, and social engagement, charting a course for the remainder of the current decade.