Starting from February 17, tourists from Russia can simplify the process of obtaining a visa, as they no longer need to confirm their reservation and pay for the hotel. This news was announced at the Consulate General of the country in St. Petersburg, which will greatly facilitate the travel of Russians abroad.
According to Rosstat, in 2022 the number of outbound tourists from Russia amounted to about 8 million people, and with the simplification of the visa process, we can expect an increase in this figure in 2023. In the past, for example, in 2019, when Russia was one of the leading countries in terms of the number of tourists leaving, such changes in visa requirements allowed to increase the flow of tourists by 15%.
Experts note that the simplification of the visa regime is consistent with international practice, where many countries seek to attract more tourists. “Reducing barriers to entry is an important step towards restoring the tourism industry after the crisis caused by the COVID—19 pandemic,” says Ivan Petrov, an expert in the field of tourism.
Comparison with the situation in other countries also highlights the importance of this change: for example, countries such as Turkey and Egypt have long since abolished the need to provide documents on hotel reservations, which has contributed to the growth of tourist flow.
Thus, the innovation will be an important step towards restoring tourist activity from Russia and attracting more travelers to the destination country.
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