Russia Considered Relaxing Visa Waivers for Chinese Group Tours

The Fourth China-Russia Tourism Cooperation Forum was held in Moscow on March 22, local time. Safonov, Director of Department of Tourism of the Russian Federation, told the media that Russia was considering relaxing visa waivers for Chinese group tours.

According to Safonov, Russia would implement visa waivers for Chinese group tours involving over three people instead of over five people. In 2012, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the People's Republic of China announced on its website that China and Russia signed an agreement on vise waivers for group tours in both countries. Under the agreement, if Russian or Chinese visitors consisting of at least five people and no more than fifty people went on group tours, they could enjoy visa waivers for 15 days when setting out for the destination. Besides, Department of Tourism of the Russian Federation would set up the second Tourism Office in China. “Chinese Friendly International” program held in Russia would provide more Chinese services in tourist attractions.

For the upcoming 100th anniversary of the October Revolution, Russia introduced the “Moscow-Kazan-Ulyanovsk-Saint Petersburg” tour route in the revolutionary area. As early as June of last year, activities of 2015 China-Russia Revolutionary Tourism Cooperation Exchange were launched at Mao Zedong Square in Shaoshan city of Xiangtan, Hunan Province. At the initiation ceremony, on behalf of tourism sectors of their own countries, Li Jinzao (Head of China National Tourism Administration) and Safonov signed Memorandum on 2015-2017 Revolutionary Tourism Cooperations between China National Tourism Administration and Department of Tourism of the Russian Federation.

In fact, recent years have witnessed both revolutionary tourism and Russian further explorations on tourism exchanges of Chinese visitors. Safonov added that Russia was developing Arctic airway travel, which meant Chinese tourists would have opportunities to travel to Franz Josef Land Islands in the Arctic.

Back in September, 2015, message at www.kremlin.ru went that Vladimir Putin instructed Russian government to do research on procedures for access to Russia, development of the tourism industry and other issues. He demanded for arguing the possibilities of implementing visa waivers for short-term Russia–bound travels by tourists from BRICs and some countries approved by the Russian government. In July, 2015, Murmansk signed an agreement on visa waivers for group tours with Department of Tourism of the Russian Federation.