The PCT assessed the impact of Moldova's visa regime on tourism from Russia

The introduction of visas for Russians will not affect the volume of Russian outbound tourism and sales of tour operators. This was announced on November 6 by Mikhail Abasov, an expert from the Russian Union of Travel Industry (PCT) and head of the APCAP analytical center.

"On the scale of the Russian outbound market, the introduction of visas has practically no effect: there is nothing to influence. This will not affect the volume of outbound traffic and sales of tour operators," he told RIA Novosti.

According to him, Moldova occupies an insignificant place in the Russian tourism market. In addition to tourist trips, the demand for the destination is related to transit and personal visits.

Abasov noted that a possible consequence of the introduction of visas will only be a decrease in the convenience of travel for those who visit the country for personal reasons or as part of ties with the diaspora. He also said that from 2023 to the first half of 2026, zero values were recorded in the statistics of the tourist flow from Russia to Moldova.

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On October 24, former President of Moldova, leader of the Party of Socialists Igor Dodon said that if the republic's authorities introduced a visa regime for Russians, it would create a direct threat to internal stability and lead to an aggravation of relations with Pridnestrovie. According to him, if the government decides to introduce visas for Russians, the faction of the Party of Socialists in parliament will be categorically opposed.