Expert says development of Russian-Japanese tourism depends on bilateral ties

VLADIVOSTOK, October 25. /TASS/. The development of the Russian-Japanese tourism today is largely dependent on the level of relations between the two countries. However, Russia’s Far Eastern regions are ready to meet all demands of Japanese guests regarding tourism, which will make it possible to boost tourism flows, Irina Kushnaryova, Assistant Professor at the Far Eastern Federal University’s School of Economics and Management, told TASS. "A major factor in bolstering Russian-Japanese tourism exchanges is, undoubtedly, the two countries’ political will, which determines the development of international tourism," the expert said. "Members of tourist industry in the Far Eastern regions and their Japanese counterparts were enthusiastic about the results of the meeting between the Russian and Japanese leaders in Vladivostok, which open up new opportunities in Russian-Japanese tourism." According to Kushnaryova, Russia’s Far East has huge potential to further development of Russian-Japanese tourism. "That includes geographical proximity, transport accessibility, the availability of sea and air routes between Primorye and Japan, the presence of natural attractions with seasonal and geographical distribution, cultural attractions, but, most importantly, large-scale support from the government," she said. Everything from ballet to extreme tourism The expert noted that Russia’s Far Eastern regions can currently offer a vast array of tourist services for Japanese travelers that caters to every taste. "Event tourism, agro- and sports tourism as well as short trips along the Trans-Siberian Railway are highly sought after today. Japanese tourists are attracted by the fact that they have a choice and may order what they are interested in. However, this kind of tourism requires long-term and thorough efforts," Kushnaryova stated. "The last mass visit to Vladivostok by Japanese tourists confirmed this. Travel agencies conducted an opinion poll in advance to find out what they would like to see on the Mariinsky Theater’s Primorsky Stage. Most of them opted for the Nutcracker. And the theater agreed to meet them halfway," the expert said, adding that, as a result, 300 Japanese tourists were able to visit the Mariinsky Theater’s Primorsky Stage. "Japanese tourists are interested in a variety of areas - from extreme to scientific tourism. However, so far these areas have attracted few visitors. Most people need comfortable vacations, for which well-developed infrastructure is needed," she added. Development prospects Earlier reports said that the Japanese government offered the country’s travel agencies to promote Japanese tourists’ trips to Russia’s Far East with the goal of strengthening bilateral ties in line with the eight-point plan to develop relations between the two countries. Representatives from the Japanese tourism industry are planning to visit Vladivostok and Khabarovsk in November to familiarize themselves with the tourist infrastructure there. Besides, Japan’s National Tourism Organization hopes to open its representative office in Moscow in the near future. Easing the visa regime for Russian citizens is seen by Tokyo as another way of promoting tourism. According to the Japanese authorities, about 100,000 Japanese tourists visited Russia in 2014, with most of them travelling to Moscow and St. Petersburg. Read more