According to Izvestia report, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) is in negotiations with Spain and Italy about standardizing travel regulations. They have also recently made a plea to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to recommence international tourism without waiting for the epidemic to finish.
ATOR suggests that the problem of harmonizing entrance procedures for all travelers, including the recognition of immunization certificates, be worked out in advance.
The tourist industry, according to ATOR, should be ready even before the borders open. “It’s probable that we’ll be going for several more years, presenting specific papers,” ATOR Vice President Dmitry Gorin told Izvestia.
“Through an uniform set of papers, we want to streamline the border crossing process and check-in requirements. That is why we went to the United Nations World Tourist Organization (UNWTO), which brings together representatives from all nations’ tourism sectors”, he said.
Despite the restricted borders and current issues with recognizing the Russian vaccination, ATOR Vice President stated that Rome and Madrid are already taking efforts to welcome Russian travelers – Italian and Spanish missions have already begun to grant tourist visas to Russian nationals.
At the same time, the WHO told Izvestia that under the current circumstances, quarantine can be lifted for people who have already recovered from coronavirus, and the European Travel Commission (ETC) said they welcome the idea to harmonize entrance regulations.
