Tour operators asked Lavrov to simplify the entrance to foreigners to Russia

Representatives of eight Russian tourist companies working in the field of entrance tourism sent a letter to Sergey Lavrov with a proposal of one -way simplification of the visa regime for foreign travelers. According to Kommersant, according to tour operators, the first step for unilateral liberalization of the visa regime should be measures to introduce electronic visas and visas drawing up upon arrival.

In addition, according to the authors of the letter, a visa -free transit stay in Russia can operate for citizens of Western Europe for 72 hours. The presence of a rigid visa policy is the main factor that restrains the growth of the entrance tourist flow to Russia, the appeal says.

According to experts surveyed by the publication, a complete cancellation of visas could gradually increase the entrance flow to Russia from Europe and the USA by 30-40 percent.

Another interlocutor of the publication, familiar with the principles of the visa policy of Russia, assured that the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was incorrectly chosen as an addressee. “The question of canceling visas in any case is resolved on the basis of the recommendations of the FSB, the Foreign Ministry is only a performer,” he explained.

In 2015, the Russian entrance tourism market against the backdrop of the sharp devaluation of the ruble showed serious growth: according to Rosstat, in nine months the number of foreign travelers in Russia increased by 13.4 percent. This is the most significant indicator since 2008.

The very idea of ​​one -sided liberalization of the visa regime in Russia is not new, the newspaper writes. The initiative to allow a 72-hour visa-free transit for foreign tourists since 2013 lobbying the Ministry of Culture. In the summer of 2015, the topic of introducing electronic visas and visas upon arrival was touched by the head of the Rostourism Oleg Safonov.

In turn, Vladimir Putin instructed to cancel the visas for tourists from the BRICS countries. But the initiative was never implemented.