Comments Made by Ambassador Alexey Skosyrev for "Al Watan" on the Matter of the Attractiveness of Russia as a Tourist Destination for Arab Visitors

Original publication (in Arabic): https://alwatannews.net/article/1102855

How many tourists visited Russia in 2023?

According to official statistics, nearly 8 million tourists visited Russia in 2023, exceeding the figures recorded in 2022 by 14.3%. However, we have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels. We believe that the moderate pace of recovery of the Russian tourism sector is due to the undergoing radical transformations, including infrastructure modernization and the transition to domestic solutions and reliable independent suppliers on one hand and the reorientation of our companies towards new markets in friendly countries on the other. We expect these efforts to create favorable conditions for the accelerated development of the hospitality industry and attraction of a larger number of foreign tourists in the near future. Particularly, special attention is given to the Middle East in this context. We would like to welcome as many Arab visitors as possible, as they are always welcome in Russia.

How many tourists from Arab countries visited Russia last year? What is the overall dynamic?

106 000 tourists from Arab countries visited the Russian Federation last year, indicating the effectiveness of the efforts concentrated on this segment of the tourism market. The tourist flow from the Middle Eastern region increased by almost 147% compared to 2022 and by 3% compared to 2019. There have been certain structural changes observed as well, with a rapid increase in the number of tourists from the Gulf countries, surpassing our traditional customers from Egypt, Algeria and Morocco. Regarding Bahrain, 1 600 citizens from the Kingdom booked the tours to Russia last year. That’s slightly less than in 2019 (1 800), but significantly more than in subsequent years (a 280% increase compared to 2022).

What are the reasons for the increased demand for tours to Russia in the winter period?

As for the increased demand for winter tours to our country, it is, to my mind, largely due to the widespread stereotype image of Russia as a country of cold and ice. Snow-covered landscapes impress and amaze many people from the South, for whom such scenes are a new experience. And indeed, we have everything necessary to provide a comfortable and enjoyable winter vacation. It should be noted, though, that visiting Russia in the summer period will have an equally pleasant impact on anyone.

What are the most attractive programs for tourists?

The Russian Federation is a vast country with a long history, offering a beautiful and rich mosaic of diverse tourist destinations scattered across its regions. This allows domestic operators to satisfy any requests from our guests. The Russian tourist infrastructure includes numerous world-class ski and beach resorts. We have countless ancient cities renowned for their attractions among art and antiquities lovers. There are many unique natural areas, where you can witness rare phenomena such as geysers, the Northern Lights and other things of this kind. We are proud of our shopping and entertainment establishments. Our restaurants (there are about 70 Michelin-rated facilities in Moscow alone) and shopping centers are rightfully considered to be some of the best in the world. To sum up, we have all the ingredients required to create unforgettable positive impression on a tourist. Therefore, it is very difficult for us to single out any particular program.

What steps is Russia taking to attract tourists from Arab countries?

Regarding the steps taken by Russia to attract tourists from the Arab states, numerous tourism projects launched by Russian regions with historical ties to the Middle Eastern culture should be noted. These include the North Caucasus (for example, programs under the brand "The Land of Heroes" in the Chechen Republic), Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. Such connections significantly help us in our work with people from Islamic countries. We have reached the point, where a considerable increase in the number of companies providing halal services to their clients is being observed. Additionally, the government is taking measures to facilitate the entry into Russia for Arab visitors. Visa-free agreements are in place with some of them, and efforts are being made to conclude similar arrangements with several other counterparts, for whom we have recently begun offering e-visa option (including the Bahrainis). It is also worth noting that our private sector is actively expanding the network of flights between Russia and the Arab world. This will bring us even closer together. In this regard, we are looking forward to the launch of the direct flights between Bahrain and several new destinations in our country in the foreseeable future, including Sochi and St. Petersburg.