An agreement has been signed between India-based Russian Information Center (RIC) and Russia-based Visit Russia among others to promote Russia as a tourism destination in the India market. The agreement, signed in St Petersburg, aims at developing a ‘India-friendly policy’ in order to attract more Indian tourist arrivals.
“The agreement will enable the parties to effectively co-ordinate the activities to promote Russia as a popular destination in the India market,” said Katerina Belyakova, co-founder, RIC.
The other signatories of the ‘India-friendly policy’ agreement include the Russian Union of Travel Industry, National Centre for Marketing Tourism, Union of National and International Tourist Information Organisations of Russia and St Petersburg State University of Economics.
“The agreement focuses on increasing outbound tourist traffic from India to Russia and creation of comfortable conditions of stay in the country for Indian tourists,” informed Paresh Navani, RIC partner, further stating that the pact proposes conducting marketing activities like press and information tours of Indian journalists and tourism professionals to Russia, to participate in the Indian trade fairs and road shows.
“We are discussing holding meetings in Russia of various tourist industry associations in India, Bollywood, Tollywood and TV industry, advertising and marketing potential of which is huge,” added Navani.
Polina Kuzmenko, head of international sales, corporate sales and conferences of ferry company St Peter Line indicated that there is a 72-hour visa-free entry to ferry tourists and cruises on the Baltic Sea, starting at St Petersburg.
(PTI)
