The cornerstone of this strategy was an unprecedented promise: under Joseph Stalin, every Soviet citizen was guaranteed a paid two-week annual vacation. This gave rise to the distinctive phenomenon of the state-sponsored sanatorium holiday. Equipped with putevki (vouchers), workers could rejuvenate in sanatoriums across the USSR. From the mineral waters of Georgia to the oil baths of Azerbaijan, these unique institutions, part medical establishment and part spa, became integral to Soviet life. In stark contrast to the decadent leisure of the West, the Soviet vacation was infused with purpose. Tourism was a tool to ensure workers returned to their duties refreshed and productive.

From Revolution to Relaxation: Building an Industry from Scratch

The newly formed Soviet Union wanted to get its hands on hard currency. The weak ruble meant that it was next to impossible to import the heavy machinery that was key to the industrialization of the Soviet economy. Yet, the USSR lacked even the basic infrastructure to support international tourism. A thriving tourist industry demanded modern, accessible accommodations and transportation By rapidly creating modern infrastructure and facilities, the state could transform their country into a vacation destination. Tourism would serve two purposes - increase foreign currency reserves and showcase the Socialist utopia to the world.

New hotels were built across the nation, even in remote locations, while existing ones underwent extensive renovations, including the addition of private bathrooms. Transportation was also a key focus: in 1932, substantial investment went into adding 100 new dining cars to the iconic Trans-Siberian Express, enabling specialty tours like the Turkestan-Siberian Railroad journey. This route, completed in 1930, traversed remote regions of Soviet Central Asia like Samarkand. Those on the 1931 tour had to live on the train for forty days because there were “no hotel accommodations in many of the places visited”. Air travel, still in its infancy, also saw dramatic growth, with air routes expanding from 148,000 kilometres in 1930, to 665,000 kilometres by 1933.

Along Russia's scenic waterways, the state acquired hundreds of motorboats to facilitate both sightseeing within major cities and transport between destinations. In a move that added instant credibility, the state signed a landmark agreement in 1928 with the Thomas Cook travel agency. This solidified the USSR's status as a major destination, granting access to Thomas Cook's vast network – a partnership so successful that Russia became the only location where Thomas Cook's business expanded during the Great Recession. Cruise lines were another vital partner, with transatlantic steamship companies like the Canadian Pacific Steamship Line, the Holland-America Line, and the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company all signing agreements with the USSR in 1928. 

Selling Utopia: Intourist and International Tourism

The development of new hotels, modernised railroads, and expanded air travel laid the groundwork for the creation of Intourist in 1929. The agency was the USSR's first and only tourism organisation. Its name came from the Russian words for "foreign tourist", and it held a monopoly on tourism. Intourist wasn't just a travel agency; it was a propaganda tool. The agency aimed to sell a carefully crafted vision of the Soviet state – a "Land of Colour and Progress' where millions from diverse backgrounds worked together for a brighter future.

To promote tourism, Intourist created posters, brochures and advertisements. Soviet designers were allowed to study designs from the west, as Soviet styled propaganda posters were designed to inspire Soviet citizens to work harder rather than entice foreigners to visit for a relaxing holiday. Competitions were held to find winning designs. Art Deco was the prevailing style of posters of the day, as they portrayed the Soviet Union as a glamorous and mysterious country to visit. Soviet Intourist advertising posters were not known to the majority of Soviet citizens, as they were only displayed in foreign tourist offices or published as advertisements in American magazines.

Eager to demonstrate that the Soviet Union was more than just Russia, travel posters emphasised the unique character and rich history of each of the 16 Soviet republics. Race and nationality were central themes in Soviet advertising. The USSR positioned itself as a beacon of multi-ethnic harmony under socialism. Soviet Central Asians and other minority groups were frequently featured in campaigns, portraying the nation's transformation from a "backward past" to a unified socialist future. Brochures were also quick to emphasise that each republic enjoyed equal rights, a striking contrast to the oppressive Tsarist rule. Intourist also arranged for guides and interpreters who were "well-informed young people”. To ensure this message was delivered seamlessly, Soviet guides fluent in the tourists' languages became mandatory companions.

Formal diplomatic recognition of the USSR by the United States in 1933 marked a turning point. In the midst of one of the worst economic crises the world had seen, Intourist hit the ground running for its first tourist season starting in summer 1930. They aimed to host 15,000 foreign visitors that first season, including 5,000 Americans. The results were staggering: American tourist spending within the Soviet Union skyrocketed, with Commerce Department reports showing a jump from $2,000,000 in 1929 to $10,000,000 in 1931. This starkly contrasted with the broader decline in global tourism during the Great Depression.

In the following years, Intourist opened 30 offices around the world, including in London, New York, Berlin and Amsterdam. The Soviets built tourism from the ground up. They were so successful that they were a threat to other foreign tourist bureaus vying for the attention and dollars of American travellers. Up until WWII, Intourist facilitated the visits of more than one million foreign guests to the USSR. 

Behind the Iron Curtain: Tourism and the Cold War

The early success of Soviet tourism was eclipsed by the Second World War and Stalin's Great Purge. These events plunged the USSR into isolation, and by the 1940s and 50s, foreign visitors had dwindled to a trickle. State officials actively discouraged travellers. However, a shift came after Stalin's death in 1953. With the easing of restrictions, the previous ban on Soviet citizens marrying foreigners was lifted. This thaw extended to tourism as well, and Intourist resumed selling packages to foreign visitors in 1955.

Even at the height of the Cold War, Intourist persevered, though under tight restrictions. Visits were subject to "prior coordination" and excluded "specifically designated zones," ensuring tourists only experienced the officially-sanctioned Soviet reality. This principle would define Soviet regulation of foreign travel until 1991. Despite the limitations, cultural diplomacy flourished, with music and theatre events in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Tourists glimpsed a life of luxury beyond the reach of most Soviet citizens, staying in decadent hotels, eating caviar, and travelling in ornate carriages on the Trans-Siberian Railroad.

Intourist even used the space race in its drive for tourism. Intourists posters invited foreigners to visit the country of the world’s first cosmonaut. The USSR understood the power of the image and designs depicted cosmonauts as explorers of new worlds, looking boldly back at the viewer. Bright, bold and elegant, Intourist travel posters presented the joys of travelling in the USSR - the first socialist country in the world. 

Intourist's influence extended beyond tourism into the realm of diplomacy. The agency played a key role in organising the US President Richard Nixon’s visit to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus in 1974 where he and Brezhnev discussed improving US-Soviet relations. For the 1980 Moscow Olympics, Intourist facilitated an agreement with VISA, whereby tourists could make payments using their VISA credit cards in Russia for the very first time. By the 1980s, more than 4 million foreign tourists were visiting the USSR each year. Every single one of them had booked their flights, accommodation, transportation and activities through Intourist. 

Intourist and its campaigns reflect the early Soviet Union's ambition to reshape its internal society and project a triumphant image to the world. By the fall of the USSR in 1991, Intourist became a commercial for-profit company. Today, the company is neither state-owned, nor even Russian owned. It no longer has a monopoly on Russian tourism, but its legacy of striking travel posters remains.