Leonid Slutsky, Head of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), announced that Russia and Bahrain are considering the introduction of a visa-free regime in the near future, citing growing tourism between the two countries.
“Our countries are looking into the possibility of moving to a visa-free arrangement in the very near term. This would be a major boost for tourism and a clear signal of our readiness to take cooperation in this area to the next level,” Slutsky said, speaking as moderator of the “Russia–Bahrain” session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
He noted that Russia has become one of the top five most popular international destinations for Bahraini tourists. According to Slutsky, the number of tourists from Bahrain visiting Russia rose by 8% in 2024.
The trend is also positive in the opposite direction. Slutsky highlighted that more and more Russians, especially over the past 2–3 years, have been discovering Bahrain as a travel destination.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on TASS materials