11/08/2019 16:13

Turkish Tourist Flow to Russia Is Prevented By the Current Visa Regime

[IMG=21005-6836]On September 15th bilateral Russian-Turkish meeting of experts was held in Gelendzhik. Representatives of Federal Tourism Agency of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Culture of Tourism of Turkey participated. According to Gokhan S. Ozok, expert in tourism, culture and city planning of the Ministry, the problems that prevent the development of Russian-Turkish relationship and the ways to solve them were discussed. The participants of the meeting were especially intrigued about the increase of tourist flow from Turkey to Russia. Gokhan S. Ozok commented on the issue as follows: ‘for us the main obstacle is the necessity to receive visa. It takes four days to receive it. Yes, it’s not a long period, but Russians receive visa on arrival to Turkey’. According to him, simplification of the visa regime or its elimination could engender the tourist flow from Turkey to Russia. Behind the scenes they say that after several months the Intergovernmental Russian-Turkish Agreement will be signed and that it will mention the visa issue too. The details of the project are still unknown. However, there is an impression that mainly representatives of Turkish tourism authorities want changes. Mustafa Atasu, General Coordinator of the Russian Department of Bentour, commented as follows: ‘we are interested in the increase of Turkish tourists flow to Russia. At the moment we are discussing opportunities for the promotion of the idea’. Meanwhile, Russian tour operators that work in the sphere of inbound tourism, feel enthusiastic towards changes within the visa regime for Turkish tourists. However, they point out that the majority of Turkish people traveling to Russia are businessmen; therefore, it’s difficult to say whether the innovation will increase Turkish interest in excursion tours to Russia. Thus, Violetta Tarasova, the Head of the Incoming Department of Neva Travel Company, said: ‘the dynamics of tourist flow has not considerably changed in the recent years. The majority of our clients from Turkey come to visit professional exhibitions’. On the other hand, travel market experts believe that the simplification of the visa regime might stimulate Turkish investments in hotels on the Russian territory.