Russia - After the virus it will be (perhaps) easier to travel

 Coronavirus (at least as far as Russia's openness to the world is concerned) could paradoxically have a positive effect. Now the borders are closed to all foreigners but, when they reopen, the problem of how to manage tourism will arise.
    So Rostourism, the Russian tourism agency, is putting pressure on the authorities, the foreign ministry at the head, to simplify the procedures for obtaining a visa as much as possible, thereby increasing the pre-pandemic entry numbers.
    The RBK economic magazine made it known. Russia, according to Rostourism, should then introduce multi-entry tourist visas valid for up to five years - the current rules instead allow tourists only single and double entry visas.
    The idea could pass as Moscow always beats the button on "reciprocity" (which is why visas exist for Europeans) and the Schengen block already provides for them. Not only.
    Rostourism also wants to reduce the time for obtaining visas to three working days and wants to extend e-visas, which will come into force on January 1, 2021, from 16 days to 90-120 days (and also make them multi-entry). An ambitious package of interventions that would greatly simplify travel practices in Russia and open the country to a greater flow of tourists, especially from Europe.
    The sector, on the other hand, is already on its knees: according to the institution, the losses are in the order of € 4 billion per quarter.
    But the reform, if we can say so, could help not only restore but also increase tourism up to 30% compared to pre-crisis levels, says the head of Rostourism Zarina Doguzova. And, not least, to refresh the image of Russia, which in 2019 was 123rd among 140 countries in terms of international openness. In short, when you can go back to travel, maybe even more easily to Russia. It really took the apocalypse