MOSCOW, March 19. /TASS/. The number of international tourists visiting Russia in 2024 might reach 9.5 mln, Russia's Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dmitry Vakhrukov said on Tuesday.

"We intend to attract up to 9.5 mln foreign tourists to Russia this year. Indicators for service exports will increase dramatically. Fulfilling the goal of increasing the tourist flow until 2030, we expect the it to return and reach at least the levels during the World Cup, which was more than 18 mln people," he said.

Earlier, Director of the department of multilateral economic cooperation and special projects of the Ministry of Economic Development Nikita Kondratyev said that the flow of foreign tourists to Russia in 2023 increased by 3.5% compared to 2022 and reached 8.5 mln people.