MOSCOW, July 18. /TASS/. The overall contribution of the 2018 FIFA World Cup into domestic GDP totaled more than 850 bln rubles ($13.5 bln), Executive Director of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia Maya Lomidze said on Wednesday at a press conference in TASS.
"The total contribution into GDP was about 1%, 850 bln rubles ($13.5 bln). According to the estimate of the Russian Steering Committee, this amount actually covers costs. I would like to remind that we had the most expensive World Cup. A great deal of infrastructural changes was made in cities and the country essentially assumed almost all costs for travels of fans," Lomidze noted.
According to preliminary data of the Russian Tourism Authority, 2.9 mln foreign fans visited Russia during the 2018 World Cup.