China Tourism Chamber Plans To Attract 1Mln Tourists To Russia's Far East In Next 3 Years

Wang Ping, the chairwoman of China Chamber of Tourism, told Sputnik on Wednesday that the association was working to bring 1 million Chinese tourists to Russia's Far East region in the next three years.

VLADIVOSTOK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th September, 2018) Wang Ping, the chairwoman of China Chamber of Tourism, told Sputnik on Wednesday that the association was working to bring 1 million Chinese tourists to Russia's Far East region in the next three years.

"Our goal is to bring 1 million Chinese tourists to visit Russia's Far East in the next three years. As long as the conditions are right, we can bring that many tourists here easily," Wang said on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), held in the Russian city of Vladivostok.

The Chinese tourism official stressed that Russia's Far East regions should improve their infrastructure and services to prepare for the influx of Chinese tourists.

"Russia's Far East needs to focus on its natural scenery as a key appeal to Chinese tourists, which is very different from Moscow and St. Petersburg. Because the area is really massive, a short trip of two to three days is far from enough to enjoy the whole experience. As a result, we need to design the travel packages that can take advantage of the Russian Far East's advantages," Wang added.

Chinese tourists preferred to drive through Russia's Far East on their own cars to fully embrace the beautiful landscape of the region, the official pointed out.

The official added that flourishing tourism industry in Far East could also help convince more Russian young people to work in the region instead of leaving it for big cities, such as Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Wang suggested that Russian authorities could also streamline visa application processes and customs clearance procedures to allow more Chinese tourists to get into the country with less hassle.

Various Russian regions are one of the most attractive tourist destinations for people from China. In 2017, 1.5 million Chinese tourists visited Russia, according to the Asian nation's ambassador to Russia, Li Hui.

The fourth edition of the EEF kicked off on Tuesday and will be held through Thursday.

Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency is the general information partner of the forum.