Moscow will subsidize holidays taken by Russian tourists who vacation at home instead of the Mediterranean, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Wednesday.
The push to boost domestic tourism comes after officials lifted most coronavirus restrictions in June.
Yet Russians are still barred from holidaying abroad due to international travel controls imposed to slow the pandemic.
"We have already provided subsidies in the amount of about 3.5 billion rubles ($49.3 million) to tour operators," Mishustin told parliament during a report on government work in 2019.
"The government has decided to allocate an additional 15 billion ($211 million) to develop domestic tourism," which will be used to partially compensate Russians who vacation at home.
Russians will receive between 5,000 ($70) and 15,000 ($211) rubles, depending on the tour, he said.
The Association of Russian Tour Operators said companies already received information about the cashback scheme meant to stimulate tour sales.
It said people would be eligible for the rebate if they buy a tour from a government-compiled list and use the Russian Mir bank card — a would-be competitor of Visa and Mastercard heavily promoted by the government.
The tours would have to be at least five nights long and cost at least 25,000 rubles ($352), it said. The promotion would begin in August and last through Dec. 20.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
