PRAGUE, February 4. /TASS/. The number of Russian tourists in the Czech Republic has decreased considerably, Czech Television 24 said on Tuesday evening.

The number of Russian visitors decreased by 40% in January and December as compared to the first two months of the previous winter.

Fewer middle class tourists visited the country, while wealthy Russians, as before, bought very expensive things.

Russian tourists spent 61% less money in the republic in January on the average 7,646 crowns (around $340) per person.

The Czech Embassy in Moscow and the general consulates in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg last year issued visas for 324,000 Russian citizens, a 23-percent lower number.

Russians had to give up traveling because of the plunging rouble, analysts said.