MOSCOW, March 19. /TASS/. Russia's international tourist potential will be promoted under the Discover Russia brand, which is now being tested, Director of the Department of Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects of the Economic Development Ministry Nikita Kondratyev said on Tuesday.

"We will work with all regions under a single brand, Discover Russia. <…> We are now testing it on the foreign market," he said.

Kondratyev recalled that this year the Ministry of Economic Development and the Center for Strategic Research are initiating a program to promote the Russian tourism brand. A single calendar has already been created in collaboration with the regions, as well as promotional tactics and channels.

"In the first year, we will focus on countries that can provide the greatest effect on the economy, including China, India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Oman, and in the future - other Persian Gulf states, the CIS, and the countries of Southeast Asia," Kondratyev added.

According to him, the cultural component, creative industries, and gastronomy would be used to promote the tourism potential of various regions, along with social media and current digital tools.

Russia's Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dmitry Vakhrukov said earlier on Tuesday that thenumber of international tourists visiting Russia in 2024 might reach 9.5 mln. "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, 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.