The Russian government has approved a 332-billion-ruble ($10.1 billion) program aimed at developing the country's tourism sector until 2016, the Novye Izvestia daily said on Tuesday.
In accordance with the program, the flow of foreign tourists to Russia should increase sevenfold by 2016. If the program achieves its goal, Russia will manage to attract 15 million foreign tourists every year.
The low amount of tourists visiting Russia is the result of the lack of a developed network of tourist facilities in the country and Russia's poor image abroad, experts said.
"The success of inbound tourism strongly depends on advertising. The budget stipulated for these aims is absurd - just $3 million per year," Andrei Ignatyev, president of the Professional Tourist League said.
The plan to increase tourist numbers is mainly based on the expectation that lots of foreigners will visit the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, he added.
MOSCOW, July 27 (RIA Novosti)
