BEIJING (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd August, 2018) The tourist flow from China to Russia increased by 150 percent in January-July compared to the corresponding period last year, Victor Tseng, the vice president of Ctrip, China's largest travel agency, told Sputnik on Thursday.
"Over the past few years Russia has become a destination enjoying increasing popularity among the Chinese tourists. According to our information, in January-July of this year outbound tourism from China to Russia increased by 150 percent compared to the same period last year," Tseng said.
He said that about 40,000-50,000 Chinese tourists visited Russia during the FIFA World Cup alone, which exceeded the travel agency's expectations.
Tseng stressed that the great tourist flow reflected the good relations between the two countries and was the fruit of the Russian authorities' efforts to make tourism in Russia "more friendly" for the Chinese citizens.
According to Tseng, a simplified visa regime between the two countries was another reason for the increased number of tourist trips.
In 2017, 1.8 million Chinese citizens visited Russia, including 1.1 million visits for tourism purposes, according to the information, provided by the Russian Association of Tour Operators.
