Federal Media Overview

All the 1.5 thousand Russian tourists have arrived from Georgia on the planned dates before 8 July on scheduled flights, without having to reduce their trip duration. Dmitry Gorin shared this information with Moskva news agency on 9 July. "Tourists who had booked tours with departure after 8 July — 3,547 people — were given options: a full refund or a re-booking for a different destination. We're talking about tourists who used the services of travel agencies and tour operators", — said Dmitry. (Read full article here)

The new Russian Tourism Development Strategy aims to put the country in the top-10 tourist destinations until 2035, and tourism GDP should rise to 6%. According to Business FM, Russia will simplify the procedure for obtaining electronic visas for international tourists, while charter flights to priority destinations as well as tours for certain categories of citizens will be subsidised. "We have discussed this strategy with industry representatives. Tour operators will receive support in the form of concessional loans, and potentially – changes in tax liabilities. Offering affordable package tours in Russia is what's going to help us increase the number of tourists. … It's very important that this strategy is so long-term. If the financing, the support, and the promotion of tourist objects are up to par, we can expect to achieve our goal", — said Dmitry Gorin. (Read full article here)

In 2021, Russia aims to introduce electronic visas for international tourists coming into the country. The National News Service has published this information quoting the head of Vipservice. "There is no doubt that visa formalities can limit the travellers' choice of destination. Apart from paying the visa fee, you also need to collect all the paperwork and sometimes travel to a different city to go to a consulate. All of this restricts travelling opportunities. Introducing a visa-free regime contributes to 20-30% growth in a destination's popularity. This means that further simplification of visa procedures will certainly contribute to the development of tourism", — Dmitry said to a correspondent. (Read full article  here)

Dmitry Gorin and the hosts of "Good Morning" TV show on Channel One Russia discussed tourist safety during holidays. The head of Vipservice recommends buying tickets for amusement activities only from lawful organisers, and always keeping a receipt. "Companies cover insurance for accidents including damage through carelessness, but you always need to be able to provide the proof", — said Dmitry. Enjoy the full episode about safety during water rides here here.

On 10 July, Russia introduced zero VAT rate for domestic flights. This step should increase the number of domestic flights and reduce ticket prices by somewhere between 6-7% and 1/3. The subject was discussed in "Utro Rossii" TV show on Russia-1. "Domestic flights are often quite quick. Today Russian tourists can fly to Sochi only via Moscow and it takes 6-8 hours. A direct flight would only take around 3 hours. The tickets are cheaper for shorter distances", — said Dmitry Gorin. (Read full article here, starting from 21:00 min.)