Incoming - Russian Travel Digest

17.05.2016

Chechnya absolutely safe, comfortable for holidaymakers - tourism official

Chechen Republic is an absolutely safe and comfortable region I terms of holidaymaking and the local authorities and ordinary people always look forward to hosting tourists, Oleg Safonov, the director of Russia’s Federal Agency for Tourism (Rostourism) said on Thursday at the end of a second Visit Chechnya…

30.04.2016

The Passenger port of St. Petersburg “Marine Façade” plans to serve more than 460,000 passengers in year 2016

According to the information from A. Panfilov, the port serviced 482,000 passengers in navigation season 2015. Thus, in the current season, the decrease in passenger traffic could reach 4.6%. According to the approved schedule, in 2016 the Marine Façade will see 218 calls of vessels, said A. Panfilov,…

27.04.2016

Russia might launch tax free system towards the end of this year

The Industry and Trade Ministry, Finance Ministry, Federal Customs Service and Federal Tax Service are working out the details on orders from Shuvalov, the paper said. The minimum amount of purchases of non-food goods on which foreign citizens would be able to get a VAT refund will be 10,000 rubles,…

26.04.2016

Rail-cruise journeys planned in Russia to attract China tourists

Chinese tourists traveling by train in Russia may enjoy this year a new format of railway cruises as part of JSC Federal Passenger Company plans to develop inbound railway tourism and see a growing flow of Chinese tourists, its press service told Tass on Monday. In these projects of JSC’s daughter company…

25.04.2016

Russia among top 10 of most visited countries in the world — report

Russia took the 10th place among the most visited countries in the world in 2015, Rosturizm tourism agency’s press service said on Monday citing the report of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). According to UNWTO, a total of 31.6 million tourists visited Russia last year, which is by 6.2% more…

01.04.2016

Visit Russia travel office opens in Kuwait

National tourist office Visit Russia officially opened in Kuwait on Monday evening. The Russian Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky attended the ceremony, as well as Deputy Head of the Russian Federal Tourism Agency Sergei Korneev. "Last year, 21 million foreign tourists visited Russia," the Minister…

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…