Satte 2017: By Launching ‘India Friendly’ program, tourism to Russia poised for the leap forward

‘India Friendly’ program was announced at SATTE 2017 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi on 16 February 2017 by Paresh Navani, Head of Russian Information Center in India during a major presentation hosted by the Federal Agency for Tourism of the Russian Federation & the National Marketing Center for Tourism-Visit Russia.

India and Russia have very good traditional and historical relations starting from the arrival of a trader by the name of Mr. Afanasy Nikitin who landed on the shores of Revdanda, Maharashtra in the year 1470, 25 years before Vasco Da Gama. Continuing this long tradition Russian Information Center in India initiated the ‘India Friendly’ program to provide features and services that are required by Indian tourists when they are travelling in India or internationally. The program strives to ensure that the Indian traveller feels at home in Russia.

The program covers various needs of the Indian traveller. Some of them being Indian food options in the menu and on breakfast. Electric kettle or hot water service in the hotel, bottled water in the room, English signboards, English speaking staff, special vegetarian meals, sanitary requirements like water in toilets and many others.

"Tourism to Russia is poised for the leap forward noting the interest and enthusiasm the travel trade showed for initiatives like the ‘India Friendly’ program, the reduction in the cost of Visa fees by almost 40% for Indian tourists by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, coupled with destination presentations we conduct for the travel trade to promote Russian tourism options, further assisted by leading sporting events like the Confederation Cup 2017 & the FIFA World Cup 2018" said Paresh Navani, Russian Information Center in India.

"Russia is a multicultural country, in which blends harmoniously the traditions of different people, religions, with rich cultural and historical heritage complemented by modern architecture, centers of leisure and entertainment, shopping - it is the perfect place for Indians to travel to and to continue the long traditions established in the 14^th Century. With the launch of the India Friendly program, we hope to cater to the unique needs of the Indian traveller and aim to increase tourist flow from India by 50% in this coming year and in the future years" said Alexander Gorokhov, Head of the National Marketing Center for Tourism, Visit Russia.

About India-Friendly program:

The India friendly program is voluntary in nature and India friendly services will be provided by hotels, restaurants, cruise liners, museums and any other enterprise that provides tourism services in Russia, Certification will be provided by Russian Information Center in India post a series of tests for staff and audits conducted on-site in Russia. Allready 25 hotels in Russian regions Moscow, St.Petersburg, Kazan, Crimea jion the program. Among them such brands as Park Inn, Radisson, Azimut.

An initiative of Russian Information Center in India, India-Friendly progran is supported by the Federal Agency for Tourism of the Russian Federation, National Marketing Center for Tourism - Visit Russia, Russian Union of Tour Industry, St. Petersburg Tourism Information Bureau, St. Petersburg State Economic University, Tourism Department.

In-bound tourism from India: