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Expanding Russian regions with relaxed entry to raise tourist flow 10%, says lobby group

Enlarging the amount of Russian regions offering simplified visa requirements to foreign tourists will stimulate an influx of tourists to the country by at least 10%

MOSCOW, October 1. /TASS/. Enlarging the amount of Russian regions offering simplified visa requirements to foreign tourists will stimulate an influx of tourists to the country by at least 10%, Vice President of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) Dmitry Gorin told TASS.

The Economic Development Ministry said earlier that a plan to liberalize visa requirements on equal terms with specific countries for foreign travelers visiting Russia for tourism, medical, educational, business, humanitarian and athletic purposes, may become one of the steps substantially influencing the growth of tourism services.

"Currently, those who receive an electronic visa to travel to Russia's Far East, obtain it in four days, (free of charge), and it expires in 30 days but allows an extra eight-day visa-free stay on the territory of the Russian region that the traveler had entered. In Kaliningrad, this mechanism will come into force starting July 2019," Gorin said in an interview with TASS, adding that ATOR "promotes to increase the number of regions offering that kind of entry."

According to the lobby group’s vice president, any streamlined visa procedure always boosts the number of tourists in any case.

"The influx of tourists to regions with simplified entry will climb at least by 10%. Moreover, the visa-free remainder period may be increased as long as 14 days for certain long-term tours that are becoming increasingly popular, such as the trip on the Trans-Siberian line or to (Lake) Baikal," he added.

Gorin expects the number of tourists opting to visit Russia will grow considering the efforts to expand the opportunities of the country’s hospitality infrastructure and provide easier travel.