Matviyenko Expects More US Tourists In Russia Following Canceled Travel Advisory

Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of the Russian parliament's upper house, said Tuesday that she believed the number of US tourists would grow in the wake of the US State Department canceling its recommendation to avoid traveling to Russia.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th December, 2018) Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of the Russian parliament's upper house, said Tuesday that she believed the number of US tourists would grow in the wake of the US State Department canceling its recommendation to avoid traveling to Russia.

Earlier this week, the US Department of State took Russia off the list of countries where US visitors should "reconsider travel" to and now only recommends Americans to exercise increased caution while visiting the country, according to a newly issued travel advisory. The advisory still recommends US visitors not to travel to the North Caucasus, particularly Chechnya and Mount Elbrus, as well as Crimea.

"I personally welcome this decision. I am sure that now more US nationals will come to Russia. The situation around Russia has been so heated up in the United States that now Americans have great curiosity regarding what is really happening in Russia," Matviyenko told reporters.

According to Matviyenko, the greater numbers of US nationals in Russia would be accompanied with greater amounts of objective information about the country, thereby leading them to understand that they are being "fed with fake news" about Russia.

The senior official highlighted the friendly attitude of the US and Russian citizens toward each other.

In 2017, the State Department placed Russia in the third out of four travel risk categories called "Reconsider Travel - Contains Areas with Higher Security Risk." Now Russia is in the second category with the first one advising US visitors to "exercise normal precaution."