MOSCOW, October 1. /TASS/. The tourist flow from Iran to Russia surged by 28% year on year as of the end of the first half of 2024 and reached 18,000 trips, Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov said at the meeting with Minister of Economy and Finance of Iran Abdolnaser Hemmati.

"The mutual tourist traffic increased by 52% and was above the pre-pandemic level last year. This indicator totaled more than 26,000 trips in the first half of 2024, with 18,000 trips made by Iranian tourists to Russia - this is 28% more than in the like period of the last year," Reshetnikov said, cited by ministry’s press service.

The direct air service and group visa-free trips between the countries drive growth of mutual tourist trips, he noted. The number of flights between Russia and Iran surged more than twofold over the last six months, Reshetnikov added. Iran is one of the most promising tourist partners of Russia, he added.