Russia offered India to waive visas for tourist groups

This proposal was made by the head of Russian Federal Agency for Tourism Zarina Doguzova during the Second Russian-Indian Strategic Economic Dialogue in Delhi. The Indian side expressed interest in jointly developing a draft government agreement on visa-free group travel for a period of up to 21 days. 

“E-visas are an option mostly used by individual travelers, young people in particular. At the same time, visa free travel for groups has bright prospects: it may be interesting for older tourists, who usually use the services of tour operators. There are a lot of such people,” Doguzova said. 

“As you know, on January 1, 2021, the e-visa system will be introduced in all of our country based on the president’s instruction. In this connection, we have the remainder of this year and next year to promote this option and Russia’s tourism potential,” the Rosturizm head emphasized. The Russian proposal on visa-free entry for tourists is not a new one. In December, when Rosturizm called for the move from India, the country’s minister of tourism Joseph Alphons Kannanthanam said he welcomes the proposal, adding that in turn Moscow should do the same for the groups of Indian tourist groups visiting Russia. “I think it is a very good idea but as I said earlier it should be on a bilateral basis. If the Russian government allows Indian tourists to come to Russia on similar terms, we would be happy to allow that,” the minister said at the time.