OREANDA-NEWS  Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Maxim Reshetnikov and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Seychelles Sylvester Radegond discussed the development of mutual tourism between Russia and the archipelago, the press service of the ministry reported on Friday; during the meeting, Radegond, in particular, asked to increase the number of flights between the Russian Federation and Seychelles.

"The current 30-day mutual visa-free regime, regular direct flights from Moscow to Mahe, as well as friendly relations between Russia and the Seychelles will be a good basis for further increasing the mutual tourist flow," Reshetnikov said at a meeting held within the framework of the second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg.

"For foreign tourists, the Tourist Card project is being launched in pilot mode this year, the number of comfortable hotels with good service is increasing throughout the country, the certification of the room stock is actively underway to confirm the level of service and the safety of guests' accommodation. The tax burden has been reduced for the work of large tour operators creating new routes for incoming tourists. There are many impressive places in our country where we will welcome guests from the Seychelles," Reshetnikov said.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Economic Development, during the meeting, Radegond asked for assistance in increasing the number of flights between Russia and the Seychelles, taking into account the great mutual interest of tourists from the two countries.

In 2022, 30.5 thousand Russian tourists visited the Seychelles, Russia ranked third in terms of tourist flow after Germany and France. In total, more than 330 thousand foreign tourists arrived on the archipelago.