MOSCOW, June 21. /TASS/. Russia is working on simplifying the visa regime with a number of countries in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said.

According to him, in most cases direct flights between BRICS countries are well developed and visa-free entry for tourists is set.

"In the isolated instances where this is not the case, we are negotiating and simplifying the entry rules. We are working on visa simplification with a number of countries in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Negotiations are already at an advanced stage," Reshetnikov was quoted by the press service of the Ministry of Economic Development.

Another tool for increasing the share of organized tourism is the mechanism of visa-free exchange of tourist groups. Russia has such agreements with China and Iran, and the signing of such agreement with India is in the works, the minister said.