India-Russia Open Sky Policy Could Double Trade and Tourism, Says Expert
Expert Subhash Goyal calls for an India-Russia open sky policy to potentially double tourism and trade within two years.
A strategic shift in aviation agreements could trigger a massive surge in economic and cultural exchanges between New Delhi and Moscow. Subhash Goyal, the Chairman of STIC Travels and Chairman of the Indian Chamber of Commerce Aviation and Tourism Expert Committee, has called for an India-Russia open sky policy, predicting it could lead to a 50 to 100 per cent increase in tourism and trade within just two years.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 'Open Your Russia 2.0' programme held at Russia House in New Delhi, Goyal emphasized that while political ties between the two nations remain strong, the tourism sector has significant room for growth. He noted that a unanimous resolution has been passed appealing for this policy change to bridge the current gap in connectivity.
The Connectivity Crisis: A Major Hurdle
While the ambition for growth is high, the current reality of air travel between the two countries remains a bottleneck. Anupam Vohra, the Moscow MICE (Moscow City Tourism Committee) Ambassador, highlighted the stark limitations of current flight options.
According to Vohra, there are currently only about five direct flights operating from Delhi to Moscow. He further pointed out that flights from Mumbai to Moscow, which existed previously, have either been cancelled or are currently unavailable. Vohra stressed that solving these transport issues is the most essential step if both nations wish to see a meaningful increase in bidirectional tourism.
New Initiatives and Investment Opportunities
Beyond air connectivity, several high-level discussions are underway to formalize cooperation between the two governments:
- Joint Working Group: Plans are in place to meet with the Director General of Tourism of the Government of India to establish a joint working group dedicated to tourism.
- Hotel Sector Investments: In a promising new move, the Russian government is actively seeking to increase Indian investment within Russia's hotel industry.
- Regional Promotion: Various Russian regions, including the Tver, Sverdlovsk, and Leningrad regions, as well as the Republic of Karelia, are actively presenting recommendations to attract more Indian travelers.
About 'Open Your Russia 2.0'
These discussions took place during the 'Open Your Russia 2.0' event, an inbound tourism development programme. The initiative is implemented by the Center for Strategic Research (CSR) and supported by the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.
The programme serves as a bridge between Russian tourism representatives and Indian professionals, focusing on expanding travel exchanges and strengthening the footprint of Indian tourists in Russia, which remains one of the priority international markets for Russian regions.