St. Petersburg expects visitor boom ahead of World Cup

World
Europe

03:15

St. Petersburg, founded as the “Venice of the North” by Peter the Great in the 17th century, is expecting an uptick in visitors from around the world as the country strives to develop its tourism industry.

Inbound tourism to Russia has increased by more than 100 percent since 2001, and the potential for further growth remains high.

The government aims to expand non-commodity exports to over 100 billion US dollars in the next six years, and tourism will play a major role in expanding Russia’s outbound services sector.

St. Petersburg, with its centuries of history, still holds great appeal for modern travelers.

With a unique mix of traditional Russian and modern European styles, St. Petersburg has long been one of the most popular destinations for domestic travelers, and also attracts visitors from all over the world, including an increasing number from China.

“The flight took about 10 hours but it was worth it to visit this beautiful city,” a Chinese tourist named Tan from Shaoguan, south China’s Guangdong Province, told CGTN on Tuesday.

Last year there were over 1.5 million visits to Russia from China, the highest number on record.

The Russian government has eased visa application procedures for Chinese citizens, including visa-free travel for Chinese tour groups, and has also improved the country’s infrastructure as well as its services sector, implementing measures that include the hiring of more Chinese-speaking staff at airports and train stations.

With the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and 2018 World Cup around the corner, the country is anticipating yet another record-breaking year for tourism.