Russia wants to push "new crown vaccination tour"? Russian Federal Tourist Office: It is not clear when it can start
[Global Times Comprehensive Report] In order to attract foreign tourists, the Russian tourism department plans to launch a special medical tourism project—new crown vaccination travel.
The Russian International Travel Agency has specially formulated charter flights for a 100-person travel team. Some other Russian travel agencies are also eager to try this project. The travel agency is currently negotiating with government departments on this project.
Russian virologists believe that the "vaccine travel" project is a good idea, which can make Russia the world's medical tourism center.
At present, more than 50 countries around the world have begun to vaccinate, but there are still many countries that still cannot get the vaccine.
Russian "Izvestia" reported on February 1 that the Russian International Travel Agency stated that there are currently many foreign partners requesting to organize vaccination in Russia.
Residents in Southeast Asia and Latin America have the highest interest in this project, and there is also a small amount of demand in Europe.
The lack of vaccines is the main reason why foreign residents want to go to Russia for "vaccine travel", and the single choice of vaccines is another important reason.
Topol Karaev, the general manager of the travel agency, said: “The great interest of partners and some foreign citizens in going to Russia for vaccination shows that all parts of the world have a high level of trust in our country’s vaccines. We are ready to meet this demand through customized charter flights. By then, a team of 100 people will fly directly to Russia. We are negotiating with relevant medical institutions and hotels that they must live for at least 25 nights in order to complete the two phases of vaccination."
However, the "vaccine travel" project is not yet perfect.
Although Russia has opened its borders to citizens of more than 50 countries from January 1 this year, foreigners entering the country are still required to hold an electronic visa, and this visa has been suspended indefinitely since March last year.
Whether the dose of vaccine in Russia is sufficient is another important issue that travel agencies are negotiating with relevant government departments.
If the number of vaccines is not enough for Russian citizens to use, then "vaccine travel" is nonsense.
At present, the Russian health and epidemic prevention department refused to comment on this news.
According to the Russian Federal Tourism Administration, it is not yet clear when this project can be launched.
Russian International Travel Agency said that they are waiting for the resolution of all legal issues and the government's permission.
Volchkov, head of the genetic engineering laboratory of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, said that Russia’s "vaccine travel" project is a good idea. Currently, Russia can produce 1.5 million doses of vaccine every month. Next month, the number will increase to 3 million doses, or even 6 million doses. When providing vaccines to citizens of the country, travel companies can help to promote Russian vaccines to the world market, so that Russia will become the vaccination center of the future world, and tourism is expected to drive the development of other medical fields. Of course, Russia is not the only country with similar plans. In December last year, some wealthy Indians asked travel agencies to go to the UK for vaccinations. (Liu Yupeng)