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Putin expects rise in Finnish tourists coming to Russia after introduction of e-visas

In 2018, about 3.5 mln Russian citizens visited Finland, while about 1 mln Finns travelled to Russia

HELSINKI, August 21. /TASS/. The number of Finnish tourists coming to St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region should increase significantly after Russia introduces e-visas for EU citizens wishing to travel to these regions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday on the outcomes of the talks with his Finnish colleague Sauli Niinisto.

"We think that the number of Finns coming to our country will increase significantly after Russia begins to grant e-visas for EU citizens travelling to St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region starting October 1 - for free and without the need to visit the consulate," Putin said. "During our discussion, Mr. President [of Finland] noted that there is an unresolved issue regarding the exchange of information in this sphere between corresponding agencies, however, we will work on this issue," the Russian leader added.

The Russian leader noted that the tourist flow between Russia and Finland has remained rather high: in 2018, about 3.5 mln Russian citizens visited Finland, while about 1 mln Finns travelled to Russia.