Russian tourists increasingly are going to Spain

The number of Russian tourists in Spain, at least judging by the number of visas issued there, has tripled despite all the sanctions, including the ban on flights from Russia to the EU. Such statistics were cited by the Western news agency Bloomberg, referring to data from the Spanish Foreign Ministry.

In figures, it looks like this: the number of short-stay Schengen visas issued by Spain to Russian citizens this year has almost tripled compared to the last year. As a result, the numbers reach almost 110 thousand, more precisely – 108 862.

The Ministry did not comment how many of them are "clean" tourists and what the reasons for the increase are. Although the number of visas is below the pre-Covid and pre-sanction levels, the jump is evident.

Moreover, as the agency notes, citing sources in the diplomatic environment, the attempt of some countries to “close” Russia completely, meaning the ban on the entry of Russians into countries like Poland, the Czech Republic, the Baltic states and Finland, only benefited other states. Some of Russian tourists may be redirected to Western Europe, which is in no hurry to close the issuance of visas.