MOSCOW, July 26. /TASS/. ATMs in Cuba began to accept Russia’s Mir payment cards, Juan Carlos Escalona, adviser to the embassy of the republic on tourism, told the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) on Tuesday. He said that until the end of 2022 they will be accepted at all sale outlets in the country.

"The first stage, which implied accepting Mir cards by ATMs, has been completed. Until the end of 2022, as part of the second stage, Mir cards will be accepted at all points of sale in Cuba. We hope that this measure will help resume direct flights and the resumption of Russian tourist flow to Cuba," he said.

State-owned bank ATMs can be found in Havana and major tourist centers, including the popular resort of Varadero, Escalona said. He recalled that in 2021, Russian citizens provided the largest tourist flow to Cuba - then almost 147,000 Russians visited the country.

Since March 2022, there have been no direct flights to Cuba, although the state guarantees the inviolability of Aeroflot and other Russian airlines.

Cuba hopes that Russian tourists will return in the winter season of 2022-2023. Now one can fly only from Istanbul to Havana with one transfer. A round-trip flight will cost about 250,000 rubles ($4,142) per passenger, a representative with ATOR added.