Incoming - Russian Travel Digest

17.03.2016

10 reasons to visit Moscow

On March, 9th, in Berlin (Germany), within the context of the international exhibition ‘ITB Berlin 2016’, the press-conference on the subject ”10 reasons to visit Moscow now”, as conducted by the head of the Department on the Nationalities Policy, Inter-regional Contacts and Tourism…

17.03.2016

Tourists from China, Germany and the USA are in the lead in the number of trips to Russia in 2015

Inbound tourist flow to Russia grew by 13.7% in 2015 to 2.93 million visits, the leaders in the number of tourists were China, Germany and the United States, the press secretary of the Russian Union of Travel Industry Irina Turina reported, with reference to the data of Russian Statistics Service. «In…

15.03.2016

The five-star hotel to be built in Rostov-on-Don in 2017

5-star hotel Parus Udachi (lit. Sail Luck) with built-in car parking will be built in Rostov-on-Don in 2017, the press service of the administration of Rostov-on-Don reported. The hotel with a capacity of 108 rooms will be located on 101/7 Sedova Street. The rooms will be equipped with double beds,…

11.03.2016

Russian tour companies asking Foreign Ministry to ease entry regulations for foreigners

Russian tour companies are asking the Foreign Ministry to ease the traveling regulations for foreign tourists, Kommersant Daily said on Tuesday. Specifically, the recommendations that a group of eight operators have sent in a letter for Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov include the issuance of electronic…

08.03.2016

Russia is discussing the introduction of a visa-free regime with 24 countries

Russia is in talks on visa-free regime with 24 countries, the Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday at a briefing in Moscow. "Negotiations on simplification of visa formalities with 40 foreign countries, including 24 foreign countries on the abolition of visa requirements, are…

07.03.2016

Tourists from India started more likely booking budjet tours in Russia

Poor tourists from India started more likely booking trips to Russia, the publication of The Economic Times stated. The growth of popularity of Russian destination among the poorer people in India contributed to the fall of the ruble against the dollar and the rupee. For example, residents of the…

01.03.2016

Australian travel agency offers customers trips to Crimea

An Australian travel company Gateway Travel based in the Sydney suburb has begun offering its customers tours to Crimea since the beginning of this year, the company’s head Antonina Kislyakova told TASS on Wednesday. According to her, this decision has no political implications, and the company took…

12.02.2016

Crimea welcomed 43,000 tourists on New Year holidays — republic’s minister

Russia’s Crimea welcomed during the New Year holidays 43,000 tourists despite of the electricity deficit at that time, the republic’s minister of resorts and tourism, Sergei Strelbitsky, said on Friday. From November 22, electricity supplies were stooped after an accident at the electricity line from…

11.02.2016

Urals region wants DiCaprio to be face of its tourism ad campaign

Chelyabinsk Governor Boris Dubrovsky has invited Hollywood star Leonard DiCaprio to become the face of an advertising campaign of the Urals region’s tourism industry, his spokesman said on Wednesday. "We can show him our tourism opportunities," spokesman Dmitry Fedechkin said. "We’ve decided to offer…

05.02.2016

Russia to offer simplified visa procedure for guests of 2016 IIHF World Championship

Foreigners travelling to Russia for the matches of the 2016 IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) World Championship will be able to obtain visas under a simplified procedure, Sergey Korneyev, a deputy head of the Russian Tourism Agency, said on Thursday. "Ice hockey fans will be offered special…

28.01.2016

Europeans continue flocking to Crimea despite Kiev’s annoyance

he Europeans’ interest in Russia’s Crimea is soaring. Although Ukraine uses a variety of means of pressure to hamper trips to the peninsula Western politicians, culture workers, businessmen and journalists keep visiting this beautiful and ancient land. These visits are clear evidence the Western public…

06.01.2016

Russian tour operators focused on domestic market to receive subsidies — PM Medvedev

Support of tour operators focused on the domestic tourism will make possible to create competitive environment on the market, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday in Sochi at the meeting on domestic tourism. "Many travel agencies and tour operators are currently working in highly challenging…

24.12.2015

Sakhalin authorities propose visa-free exchange between island and China’s province

Russia’s Sakhalin region governor wants visa-free exchange between the Far East maritime territory and China’s Liaoning province, his office reported on Wednesday. This would increase the number of tourists visiting the area and the Kuril Islands, said Oleg Kozhemyako. "Tourist benefits currently existing…

24.12.2015

Halal hotels for Muslims certified to Sharia norms to open in Russia

A number of halal hotels for Muslim believers, which will be opened in Russia, will be certified according to Sharia norms, the Russian Muftis’ Council said on its website on Monday. Chairman of the Russian Muftis’ Council Ravil Gainutdin has endorsed the hotel standard developed by International Center…

17.12.2015

Putin grants visa-free travel to Russia for foreign participants of major events

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree permitting visa-free access to Russia for foreign nationals who participate in sportive, cultural, scientific or business events. The relevant decree has been posted on the official Internet portal of legal information. The decree grants foreign nationals…

10.12.2015

Russia’s first snow and ice hotel to be built in Kamchatka

Plans are advancing in the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula for a holiday hotel made of ice and snow, a local tourism official said on Wednesday. "It will be built in 2016 using Canadian and Scandinavian technologies. It will be unique for Russia," Gevork Shkhiyan said. The establishment will open on…

04.12.2015

Sochi Russia’s most popular destination for New Year holidays — deputy minister

The Black Sea resort of Sochi has become the most popular New Year destination for Russians, Deputy Culture Minister Alla Manilova said on Friday. "Sochi is an all-season resort, the demand is unprecedented," Manilova said. "All hotels for the New Year are already booked." According to Manilova, Russians…

29.10.2015

Russia expects tourism flow from China to triple in five years

Some 2.5 million tourists from China visited Russia in 2015, and their number is expected to triple by 2020, a deputy head of the Federal Agency for Tourism said on Wednesday. Roman Skory said the incoming tourist flow to Russia has grown by five percent in the first half of 2015, adding that most tourists…

26.10.2015

In 2015, Petersburg expects to receive more than 6.5 million tourists

At the end of 2015, tourists' flow to St. Petersburg could reach 6.6 million people, the head of the Municipal Committee for Tourism Development Inna Shalyto said at a press conference in the news agency "Interfax North-West" on Thursday. "I hope that we will be in the range of 6.5-6.6 million tourists.…