NICOSIA, October 23. /TASS/. Cyprus is working on increasing the flow of tourists from Russia and improving the quality of services for Russian tourists, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said in an interview with TASS ahead of his visit to Moscow.

"We are constantly striving towards improving air connectivity between our two countries, which in principal is one of the major priorities of my Government, and also focusing on enhancing the experience for Russian tourists by offering more and more quality services," the president said.

Cyprus is an important and popular destination for Russian outbound travelers, Anastasiades said. Tourist arrivals from Russia increased at an incredible rate, from 129,889 in 2000 to 781,634 in 2016. "It is also estimated that this year we will see the highest volume of tourist arrivals from Russia ever recorded in Cyprus," he said.

The Cypriot president is beginning his official visit to Russia on Monday. On the same day, he is scheduled to meet with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, and his talks with President Vladimir Putin are due to Tuesday.