30 January 2017 — Philippine Ambassador to the Russian Federation Carlos D. Sorreta met with the Head of the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism (Rosturizm), Mr. Oleg Petrovich Safonov, on January 19 as part of ongoing efforts to bring more Russian tourists to the Philippines.

Mr. Valery Korovkin, Director for the International Department of Rosturizm joined Mr. Safanov while the new Economic Officer for the Philippine Embassy in Moscow, Third Secretary and Vice Consul Catherine F. Alpay, and Embassy Interpreter Mr. Dmitry Khodzko accompanied Ambassador Sorreta.

Ambassador Sorreta and Mr. Safonov recognized the importance of tourism in building better understanding between Filipinos and Russians.

“Tourism helps our peoples understand each other better which in turn can contribute to building closer relations between our countries,” Ambassador Sorreta told Mr. Safanov.

The two officials discussed the possibility of adopting a roadmap on tourism cooperation that would identify specific areas and actions to implement the Agreement on Tourism Cooperation which was signed on March 14, 2006.

Mr. Safonov said that Rosturizm was very open to having a Roadmap and that, since the last agreement was signed 11 years ago, it was time to adopt a new kind of cooperation on paper.

Mr. Safonov welcomed the gains of the Duterte Administration in fighting terrorism and crime, particularly in battling the drug menace since Rosturizm is always concerned for the safety of Russian tourists all over the world.

Ambassador Sorreta said that President Rodrigo Duterte’s drive against illegal drugs has greatly reduced the drug menace. He also said that the Philippine government was making progress in counter-terrorism and anticipates even more gains when defense and intelligence cooperation between the Philippines and Russia becomes more robust.

Ambassador Sorreta and Mr. Safonov discussed their observations on Russian tourists in the Philippines and Filipino tourists in Russia.

Mr. Safonov said that there are some 6,000 Filipino tourist arrivals in Russia in the past year. Ambassador Sorreta remarked that Russians even bring their families to go on vacation in the Philippines.

Both Ambassador Sorreta and Mr. Safonov agreed that forging an implementation agreement through a Tourism Roadmap is timely given the invitation of President Vladimir Putin to President Duterte to visit Russia, possibly on the first half of 2017. END