Mutual tourist flow between Russia and Iran could reach 60,000 people in 2024
MOSCOW. April 24 (Interfax) - Iran and Russia are working together to increase mutual tourist flows to their countries; mutual tourist flow could reach 60,000 people in 2024, the Center for Strategic Research (CSR) said.
The increase in mutual trips will be achieved by simplifying the visa regime for tourists, expanding the geography of flights, increasing the number of package tours, and actively working to establish the Shetab and Mir interbank information transmission networks, the CSR said.
"Direct flights have been established between Moscow and Tehran, the launch of flights to Iran from St. Petersburg and Kazan is being worked out. Iran's membership in BRICS also plays an important role. It will expand our cooperation in the field of tourism and will contribute to an increase in business flow, which totaled about 7,000 people in 2023. The establishment of a visa-free regime for group trips has played an important role, as has the use of an electronic visa mechanism," Yulia Maksutova, director of the Center for the Development of International Tourism of the Center for International Tourism said.
Iran entered the top ten countries in terms of flow of foreign tourists to Russia at the end of 2023, with over 29,500 people, while over 10,700 Russian tourists visited Iran. The Ministry of Economic Development predicts that by the end of 2024, mutual tourism flow with Iran as part of the group visa-free mechanism will reach about 40,000 tourists.
The Center for Social Research says that about 70% of Iranian tourists visit Russia on excursions, 25% are entrepreneurs who combine business trips with tours around the country, and 5% come for adventure tourism, in particular, Baikal, Altai, and ski resorts, for example, in the Elbrus region.
"They show great interest in the northern lights and consider the Murmansk region the best place to observe them. Husky riding is very popular among Iranians. Iranian tourists tend to travel with families. When traveling, they value safety and comfort, so they prefer good-quality chain hotels," the statement from the CSR says.