Russia has put forward a proposal for the full elimination of tourist visas for travelers to Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia. This proposal was made by Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov during the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) session on "Inbound tourism: challenges and opportunities in new reality."
"We are actively pursuing the idea of transitioning to visa-free travel. We are currently engaged in discussions with countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Specifically, we have proposed the complete elimination of visas for travelers to Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia. This move is also geared towards encouraging an increase in premium-class tourism, which is why we find it particularly appealing," he stated.
Since August 1, Russia and China have initiated reciprocal acceptance of tourist groups under an intergovernmental agreement on visa-free group tourist exchanges. Moreover, a visa-free group tourist exchange between Russia and Iran also commenced on August 1. According to Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Dmitry Vakhrukov, a visa-free group tourist exchange between Russia and India may be introduced in 2024.
The VIII Eastern Economic Forum is currently taking place in Vladivostok from September 10-13, operating under the theme "The Path to Partnership, Peace, and Prosperity”. The event is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on materials from TASS