Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman are expected to welcome Russian citizens without requiring them to obtain visas in advance to enter the country.
In this regard, Russian Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said that as part of efforts to increase tourism ties, Russia is also negotiating with other states, including Malaysia and Myanmar in Southeast Asia, VisaGuide.World reports.
As local media reports, although Russia has become persona non grata in previously popular destinations in Europe and America due to the war in 2022, the United Arab Emirates has sought to jump into the growing Russian tourist market.
Over 400,000 Foreign Arrivals in Russia Since E-visa Implementation in 2023
Minister Reshetnikov further revealed that since the launch of Russia’s e-visa system in August last year, along with existing visa waiver agreements, the latter has welcomed 400,000 foreign tourists.
At the same time, by 2030, the Russian government aims to increase the share of tourism in the country’s GDP by five percent from 2.8 percent in 2023.
An e-visa is a single-entry visa that remains valid for 60 days from the issue date. In addition, the permitted period of stay in the territory of the Russian Federation based on the electronic visa is 16 days.
Russia & Saudi Arabia to Issue a Tourist Card That Facilitates Payment for Foreign Tourists
Reshetnikov also said that Russia is looking for partners in Saudi Arabia to help issue a payment card for foreign tourists.
Following the project called the “Tourist Card”, visitors can apply for the card in their home country, transfer funds and use it for purchases while in Russia, with any remaining balance transferred to their account after departure.
Commenting on this project, the Minister of Economy also noted that there was a need to solve the payment issues for foreign tourists and thus called on Saudi financial institutions to help implement the project.
Since promoting non-religious tourism recently, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has seen increased Russian visitors to its popular Red Sea destinations, such as Jeddah.
Iran has tried to push its historic sites with Russian tourists but has struggled with the country’s strict Islamic veil and arid status. Russia faces a similar problem in Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, in Bahrain, Russians are allowed to use alcohol in certain places.
However, despite the obstacles, so far in 2024, interest in visiting Iran has grown with Russians, with bookings for the January-February period up 30 percent from last year.