MOSCOW, September 24. /TASS/. Average spending by foreign tourists in Moscow is nearly 4.5 times higher than that of Russian domestic tourists in the capital, Deputy Economic Development Minister Dmitry Vakhrukov said at a press conference at TASS.
"A foreign visitor spends an average of about 200,000 rubles ($2,369) per trip to Moscow, whereas a Russian spends 46,000 rubles ($545). The difference is several-fold. Naturally, these expenses include transport and so on. Nevertheless, for the city, a foreign tourist represents a completely different financial scale," he said.
The deputy minister noted that 95% of tourists from Asia and the Middle East visit local cafes and restaurants while traveling in Russia. Furthermore, about 80% of guests from India and the UAE rate Russian catering and dining establishments highly.
At the same time, 57% of Chinese tourists perceive Russian cuisine as "heavy" food. "Therefore, it is important to adapt even traditional Russian cuisine to the habits of foreign guests," he remarked.