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2018 FIFA WORLD CUP IN RUSSIA

FIFA World Cup launches new wave of Russia’s attraction as tourism destination — expert

Chinese tourists will be playing an important role in development of Russia’s tourism sphere in the coming year

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

BEIJING, December 14. /TASS/. The FIFA World Cup in 2018 in Russia will promote Russia as a tourist destination and will launch a positive tendency in the sector’s development for coming years, Executive Director of the World Without Borders Tourist Association Svetlana Pyatikhatka said in a telephone interview with TASS.

"The World Cup will launch a new wave of Russia’s attraction as a tourism destination," she said. "The World Cup, in our opinion, will have a positive effect - it will give a new impetus to development of the Russian tourism from 2019."

2018 FIFA WORLD CUP IN RUSSIA

According to her, Chinese tourists will be playing an important role in development of Russia’s tourism sphere in the coming year. They have been buying actively tickets to the football events. "China is among five leading countries, which citizens have been most actively buying tickets to the World Cup," she said.

Russian tourist operators are aware of the forecasts and have been working on new chartered flights from China, she added.

"Right now, we discuss a direct flight from China to Ulyanovsk," she said. "In November, the China Southern Airlines and the Ulyanovsk Region’s government signed a memorandum on it."

"Many Russian regions are interested in having chartered programs of the kind," she said in conclusion.

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2018 World Cup in Russia

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