Over 1.5 million foreign tourists to visit Russia during 2018 FIFA World Cup
TravelBizNews —
Moscow: The Russian capital of Moscow is fully set for a grand opening ceremony of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Football related events on June 14 .
Russia will lift the curtain on this summer’s World Cup with a glittering opening ceremony at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. The tournament will officially begin when hosts Russia face Saudi Arabia on June 14.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup Winner’s Trophy will be on display for all visitors to admire and the Official Mascot Zabivaka will entertain the crowd with his dynamic dance moves.
Zabivaka™ means “the one who scores” in Russian, a very suitable name for this wolf who radiates fun, charm and confidence.
The wolf will not only promote the event and entertain crowds at the stadiums, but also become an ambassador for Russia and a worldwide celebrity.
The matches of the 2018 World Cup will be held between June 14 and July 15 at 12 stadiums located in the 11 cities across Russia.
A total of 32 national football squads are divided into eight groups with four teams in each. Host Russia is placed in Group A with teams from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Uruguay.
More than 1.5 million foreign tourists are expected to visit Russia during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the head of the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism, Oleg Safonov, said recently.
The official believes that the 2018 FIFA World Cup will have a long-term positive effect on Russia’s tourism industry and may even positively influence the Russian economy.
Meanwhile, the number of traditional tourists, not associated with the Russia-hosted 2018 FIFA World Cup, will see a decline in June-July, Executive Director of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia Maya Lomidze told a news conference recently.
“The number of mainstream tourists, who are not fans, will decline by 700,000 people in June-July,” she said. At the same time, 400,000 foreign fans will visit Russia for the World Cup.
However, next year, forecasts see Russia getting a boost from hosting the World Cup. “Tourism is expected to grow at least 20% next year,” she said.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup will take place in Russia from June 14 to July 15, 2018. Eleven Russian cities, namely Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Saransk, Rostov-on-Don, Yekaterinburg and Sochi, will host the championship’s matches.-
Inputs – TASS Agency
Image : Aerial Image of Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow / AFP/ Getty Images
