NEWS | Number of Russian tourists to Goa to rise by near 50% in 2012: Russian Consulate

The Russian Consulate recently said that the inflow of Russian tourists to Goa is likely to increase by almost 50 per cent this year from the previous year’s figure of one lakh. In the forthcoming season, the number of Russian tourists to the state is expected to increase to 150,000, Alexey Novikov, Consul General of Russian Federation in Mumbai, said in a PTI report. "The importance of Consulate is paramount since more than 100,000 Russian tourists visit Goa annually," he added. Novikov said that the rise in travel to Goa is, to a very large extent, due to troubles in North Africa and Egypt, which are otherwise preferred destinations for Russian tourists. He further said that the increasing number of tourists means high amount of investment and opportunities for the state. "We are very happy that the ties between India and Russia are strengthening through tourism. These are two big nations which had always stood by each other," Novikov said.

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