In December, Russia is set to welcome its first groups of tourists from Indonesia as part of a religious tourism program, as announced by the Russian Ministry of Economic Development. According to the ministry's press release, negotiations between Russian tour operators and an Indonesian travel agency specializing in religious tourism are already underway.
Natalia Kuchmanova, the representative of the Ministry of Economic Development in Indonesia, has reported on these ongoing discussions. Under the program, up to 300 individuals per month will have the opportunity to visit Russia following their pilgrimage to Mecca (after completing Hajj and Umrah). The initial groups are expected to be received as early as December 2023.
The program is a result of a decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 1, 2021. This decree granted the Russian Ministry of Economic Development the authority to appoint its own representatives in 52 countries. These representatives can carry out their functions as part of Russian trade missions abroad, independently of the staff of the official representative offices.
Candidates for these positions are selected with the approval of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. Qualifications include a strong understanding of the host country and prior experience in working with it.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on materials from TASS