Foreign tourists can be in the Russian Arctic without visa for three days

The Russian Ministry of Culture has proposed a draft resolution, according to which foreign tourists coming to Russia through the ports of Arkhangelsk, Murmansk and Zarubino will be able to stay on the territory of the Russian Arctic without visa for three days.

The Ministry of Culture thinks that such measure will attract foreigners and make the Russian Arctic more accessible. As they say in the draft of the Russian government the adoption of the decision will facilitate visits of foreigners to the North-Western and Far Eastern federal districts, will lead to the increase in tourist flow and will contribute to the development of tourism in general.

According to the prior data, visa indulgence would contribute to the increase in the number of tourists from South Korea.

The deputy of the Federal Tourism Agency, Sergei Korneev believes that the port choice is correct, as the northern areas are relevant among foreign tourists. “The European and Asian tourists are interested in in the North. Everybody shows a great demand for this direction of our neighbors. For example, Norway is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, people go there to see the northern lights, look at the Arctic nature”, – said Sergei Korneev.

According to the ex-minister of Culture of the Republic of Karelia Elena Bogdanova, the European travel agencies who wish to transport tourists to the North of Russia, tried to obtain such visa indulgence for a long time.

It is necessary to note that now a three-day visa free regime for foreign tourists works in the big and passenger ports of St. Petersburg, in the ports of Vladivostok, of Korsakov, of Vyborg, of Sochi and Novorossiysk.