"The number of issued to Russians tourist visas for the last quarter of this year increased several times, every month increasing by about 50%", - Czech Ambassador to Russia Vladimir Remek said at a meeting with representatives of the tourist industry and journalists. He thinks this is a very positive indicator even with the traditional New Year growth.

The national airline of the Czech Republic, Czech Airlines, completed the first flight on the route Prague - Kazan - Prague, according to the press service of the Ministry of Transportation of Tatarstan. The company will perform two flights on Wednesdays and Sundays with departure from Prague at 22:05. Return flights will be operated on Mondays and Thursdays from Kazan with departure at 3:35. The duration of the flight is around 3 hours and 45 minutes. The flights will be operated by A319 aircraft.

The government of the Vologda region are willing to open in the short term visa center of the Czech Republic in Vologda. As the press office of the governor of Vologda reported, on Thursday at the meeting with the head of the region Oleg Kuvshinnikov, the deputy hetman of the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic Ivan Strahon stressed out that Czech Republic is interesting to support the organization of the visa center in the Vologda region.

The number of Russian tourists in the Czech Republic has decreased considerably, Czech Television 24 said on Tuesday evening. The number of Russian visitors decreased by 40% in January and December as compared to the first two months of the previous winter. Fewer middle class tourists visited the country, while wealthy Russians, as before, bought very expensive things. Russian tourists spent 61% less money in the republic in January on the average 7,646 crowns (around $340) per person.