Travel/Tourism
Russia Opposes Tit-for-Tat Visa Requirements to Save Tourism Industry
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
The 7th Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok, among others, seeks to address obstacles affecting the tourism industry.
Within the context of building internal tourism infrastructure, extra-budgetary investment is necessary for its prompt realization. The federal government and the Far East regional authority have also focused on this development programme these past years.
In general, unprecedented funding has been allocated to speed up the creation of tourism infrastructure. The government has provided the necessary conditions for the synergy of resources so that internal and foreign tourists can travel around at affordable prices and vacation in modern resorts and entertainment destinations.
But efforts have hit a number of setbacks, many political developments are sharply influencing aspects of the industry. Russia’s inbound and outbound tourism virtually collapsed, first due to the two-year COVID-19 lockdown and now largely due to the Ukraine crisis that has brought to the business landscape hefty sanctions. The aviation industry is still struggling to float and maintain normal standard operations.
At the Eastern Economic Forum, the session entitled Travelling to the East: Opportunities for Investors and Tourists panellists distinctively noted negative external factors the tourism industry and argued for measures for its recovery.
Russian Federal Agency for Tourism (Rostourism) head, Zarina Doguzova, is advocating a review of policies negatively impacting the industry.
She considers Foreign Affairs Ministry’s consular services crippling the development of the tourism industry and that Russia is longer friendly due to its tit-for-tat responses to external countries.
Doguzova explained in an interview with Rossiya-24 (VGTRK) on the sidelines of the forum that the necessary measures to sustain tourism including the launch of an electronic visa program for citizens of 52 countries, including those Russia has designated as “unfriendly” ones in the near future.
Russia earlier planned to launch e-visas for citizens of 52 countries, including European nations, she said. Certainly, there is the need to do some information work and launch an ad campaign. Many fear visiting us for various obvious reasons as a direct result of consistent confrontations and geopolitical changes.
“Foreign tourists help make dozens of billions of dollars around the world. These are big revenues which would stimulate the development of infrastructure and help create new jobs. It’s strategically important to communicate our position to the world, so that tourists, citizens of countries whose governments are taking unfriendly steps toward our country, would have a chance to see Russia,” Doguzova said.
Earlier during a meeting of the Russian State Council praesidium dealing with the development of tourism on September 6, Doguzova asked President Vladimir Putin to revisit the plans to launch e-visas for citizens of 52 countries, without following the reciprocity principle, which Russia usually sticks to as concerns visas.
Putin suggested elaborating on this proposal “without clinging to reciprocity.” while addressing the forum session, Putin said Russia would not respond symmetrically to the European Union’s decision to suspend the Visa Facilitation Agreement with Russia.
He expressed the desire to develop the idea of expanding the practice of visa-free travel for citizens of specific countries, including those visiting Russia on organized group tours and further proposed developing bilateral cooperation on establishing a visa-free travel framework with foreign countries.
“I would suggest talking not about certain [nations with whom visa-free travel could be established]. Nothing should be imposed on anyone. One should just talk about cooperation on a bilateral track. As regards establishing visa-free travel on a bilateral basis in order to facilitate mutual visits, advice is needed from the Foreign Ministry,” he said.
“In principle, I wouldn’t be holding on to reciprocity in this case. I know a general principle that the Foreign Ministry has, which is the reciprocity principle. When it comes to serving our interests, all these principles should be used, where this is beneficial. If something creates obstacles for us, what are such principles for? One could be more flexible,” Putin said.
Russians have restricted their foreign travel due to the current global changes especially the confrontation between the United States, Europe and Russia. According to the European Council decision published in the EU Official Journal, the European Union members suspended the visa facilitation agreement between the European Union and Russia.
“The application of the Agreement between the European Community and the Russian Federation on the facilitation of the issuance of visas to the citizens of the European Union and the Russian Federation (‘the Agreement’) is suspended in whole as regards citizens of the Russian Federation, as from 12 September 2022,” the statement says on its website. It is assumed that the cost of visas and the terms of their registration will increase significantly, and the issuance of visas for tourist purposes will be the last priority of consulates.
Poland and Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) have coordinated restrictions for Russians. In their statement, Poland and the Baltic states expressed concern “about the substantial and growing influx of Russian citizens to the European Union and the Schengen area through our borders. We believe that this is becoming a serious threat to public security and to the overall shared Schengen area,” according to the European Commission.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Emirates passengers travelling to or through Dubai will enjoy some exclusive offers, including complimentary stays at the iconic JW Marriott Marquis and hundreds of discounts through the popular My Emirates Pass, the airline operator has said.
In a statement, the company stated that from June 22 to July 12, 2026, travellers who purchase an Emirates return ticket in First Class or Business Class are invited to enjoy a two-night stay, while customers booked in Premium Economy Class or Economy Class can enjoy a complimentary one-night stay.
It was disclosed that this special offer is valid for all return tickets to or stopping over in Dubai for more than 24 hours, for customers travelling between June 25 and September 30, 2026.
In addition, passengers can enjoy over 600 offers available in the popular My Emirates Pass, which provides access to spas, restaurants, big-name retailers and much more by simply showing either a physical or digital boarding pass along with a valid ID at participating venues to enjoy the benefits.
These exclusive offers are being offered by Emirates through its Dubai Summer Surprises, which enters its 28th year in 2026.
Further, from July 2 to August 30, residents and visitors can expect an extraordinary live Beat the Heat DXB concert series, cultural events and an array of wellness and fitness activities, as well as big savings and exclusive, limited-time experiences in the city’s malls and lifestyle destinations.
“Whether visitors are seeking relaxation, adventure, entertainment, or a combination of all three, Dubai is the ideal start to any summer vacation.
“We’re inviting passengers to enjoy even more of the city with a complimentary hotel stay to take advantage of the exceptional range of shopping, entertainment, dining and family-friendly experiences that define the Dubai summer experience, when stopping over as part of your journey or visiting Dubai as your final destination,” the Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates, Mr Adnan Kazim, said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The popular Jabi Lake waterfront in Abuja is set to become a major leisure and tourism hub in the country, thanks to Akida Hills, which is making efforts to enable visitors to enjoy the transformation from December 2026.
The Nigerian mixed-use real estate and destination development company has been allocated a 3.36-hectare development site within the approximately 14-hectare waterfront district, where it will deliver a phased mix of recreational, entertainment, and public leisure experiences.
According to the deal, the first phase of the development will introduce the destination’s first operational attractions, including dining and leisure experiences, water-based activities, structured weekly programming, a seasonal lights festival, and the dancing musical fountain as its signature attraction.
Additional experiences and amenities will be introduced in subsequent phases as the destination evolves.
Designed as a central landmark within the waterfront experience, the dancing musical fountain will combine choreographed water displays, synchronised lighting, and music to create a distinctive evening attraction and focal point for visitor engagement.
Upon completion, the development is expected to serve as a major hub for tourism, recreation, entertainment, and community engagement, further strengthening Abuja’s position as a leading leisure and lifestyle destination.
Construction and implementation activities will progress in phases, with additional announcements on attractions, programming, and commercial partnerships expected ahead of the December 2026 launch.
“Jabi Lake represents one of the most significant opportunities to create a world-class waterfront destination in Africa.
“Through this development, we aim to deliver experiences that attract residents, visitors, and tourists year-round while contributing to economic growth, job creation, and Nigeria’s tourism appeal.
“Our vision is to establish Jabi as a defining waterfront destination for the continent – one that demonstrates the transformative power of destination-led development and reimagines how people experience a city,” the founder of Akida Hills, Mr Kayode Bamisile, said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is considering extending the deadline for its airport taxi upgrade policy to October, following concerns raised by the Nigeria Union of Private Cab Operators.
The development was disclosed on Monday in Lagos by Mr Henry Agbebire, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at FAAN, saying that the possible extension followed complaints and concerns from airport cab operators, even as the authority maintained that the policy was designed to improve service standards across Nigerian airports.
“The policy aligns with international best practices and seeks to elevate service quality,” Mr Agbebire said.
He added that passengers deserved “clean, safe, comfortable and professionally maintained vehicles” within airport transport systems.
The FAAN spokesman dismissed claims that the authority had failed to engage operators on the policy, insisting that consultations had been ongoing.
He said FAAN maintained regular discussions with licensed transport providers operating within airport premises, stressing that engagement was conducted directly with corporate entities rather than unions or associations.
“Engagements on operational matters are conducted directly with affected corporate entities,” he said.
Mr Agbebire explained that discussions on the upgrade requirement began in July 2024, giving operators time to comply.
He noted that the original compliance deadline had already been extended twice—from January 2026 to June 2026—citing economic realities and the need to give operators adequate preparation time.
According to him, the policy was not intended to punish operators or restrict their participation in airport transport services.
“Operators have been afforded ample opportunity to prepare for compliance,” he stated.
However, he warned that further extensions beyond the proposed October deadline may not be granted.
Mr Agbebire acknowledged the role of airport cab operators in passenger movement, urging them to support the initiative aimed at improving service delivery.
He added that FAAN remains committed to passenger-focused reforms across Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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