Deputy Chairman of Moscow City Tourism Committee notes significant potential for developing mutual tourism among BRICS countries

Iranian citizens travelling to Moscow prefer visiting cultural attractions and shopping at local markets, according to the deputy chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee. This is reported by Tehran Times, a partner of TV BRICS.

Deputy Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee, Bulat Nurmukhanov spoke about the agreement on visa-free group travel between Iran and Russia, which started on 1 August 2023. 

He emphasised that the agreement, already in its first year of operation, has helped strengthen tourist exchanges and sparked increased interest in travel between the countries. In addition, Iranian tourists can now receive electronic visas.

Nurmukhanov also noted that the long-term effects of the agreement will become more evident over time. "We expect the average duration of stay for Iranian tourists in Moscow to increase, along with a rise in business travel to the city," he added.

Regarding comparative statistics before and after the implementation of the agreement, Nurmukhanov replied that although the agreement has been in development for several years, its full implementation did not happen until 2023. 

The number of foreign tourists travelling to Moscow continues to increase. Nurmukhanov said that about 500,000 guests from CIS countries visited the city in the first quarter of 2024, which is almost 40 per cent more than in the same period of 2023. 

He also noted the significant potential for tourism development between the BRICS countries, citing their rich cultural and natural heritage, diversity of cookery and unique traditions.

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