In a second blow to India’s tourism industry which was already reeling from a reduction in arrivals due to the devaluation of the rouble, India has been struck off the list of safe travel destinations recommended for Russian tourists, according to a report by the Russian news agency INTERFAX.
In a statement on Saturday, the Russian information centre stated that a revised travel advisory had been issued following the blacklisting of Egypt and Turkey. President Vladimir Putin had cancelled all flights to Egypt after the October 31 explosion of a Russian passenger plane over the Sinai Peninsula and then called on its citizens to cancel vacations in Turkey after Turkish missiles shot down a Russian fighter jet in Syria.
Amongst the destinations now identified as ‘safe’ are Cuba, South Vietnam and southern China. “Both India and Goa were not considered as good destinations for Russian travellers,” said Ekaterina Belyakova, head of the Russian information centre. It’s not just a blow for the Russian tourist whose options for sunny climes has shrunk further but for India’s economy as well. “Over the past few years, the number of Russian tourists was not less than 50% of all foreign tourists visiting Goa. Since 2002, the number of Russian-speaking tourists has grown steadily. In 2013, the number of Russian tourists visiting Goa was 250,000,” Belyakova said.
According to an earlier INTERFAX report on Thursday, First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of the Russian Federation, Ivan Melnikov, focused primarily on Cuba, Vietnam and China as new directions for tourist flow as they “have excellent infrastructure, friendly atmosphere and warm weather in winter”.
Well India is visited by millions of foreigners every month, and many for them like returning to their favorite places multiple times. However, the travels have to a bit careful about their safety, just like they do anywhere in the rest of the world.
Thanks!
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