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The Russians Are Coming!

newego_LARGE_t_1101_54067441_type12128With Greece enjoying what looks to be a record tourist season, one of the most important sources is Russian visitors who are flocking to the country in droves.  The Consulate General of Greece in Moscow, Ioannis Plotas told the Russian language magazine Greece that there’s a big surge in visa applications this year.
In June alone there there were 184,135 visas issued, compared to 114, 595 in the same month of 2012, a rise of 60.68 percent, while “the total number of visas issued during the first semester of 2013 amounted to 398,066, compared to 241,988 during the same period last year, which is equal to a rise of 64.49 percent,” Plotas said.
There is growing interest in multiple entry and long term visas, which last more than six months and up to five years, in accordance with the Schengen Treaty, and which are granted to Russian citizens who make repeated trips to Greece and the Schengen countries. This gives them the opportunity of more than one visit during the same tourist season or during the same year, thus multiplying the chances for Greek tourism.
The multiple entry visas that were issued during the first semester of 2013 amounted to 143,221, compared to 65,407, which equals to a rise of 118 percent, boosted by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’ interest in getting richer Russians to come to Greece to spend their money.
The magazine Greece is published in Moscow and has promoted Greek tourism as well as issues of modern Greece since 2007 with the support of many Greek and Cypriot organizations.
 

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