Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov spoke during the plenary session "Prospects for BRICS tourism co-operation in new conditions" at the BRICS Tourism Forum in Moscow. This is the first thematic forum of the international association, which brought together more than 300 leading experts, business and government representatives of the BRICS countries.

"Today BRICS is a key platform for the development of equal co-operation. The dialogue on payment systems is actively developing between our countries, new settlement mechanisms are appearing," Maxim Reshetnikov stressed. 

The business programme of the forum included three business sessions with the participation of the BRICS business communities. The ideas expressed at the discussions will form the basis for developing cooperation in the areas of innovation, sustainability, digitalisation and cooperation at the city level. 

Tourism experts held the first meeting of the BRICS Working Group. The initiative to create this platform was proposed by South Africa in 2018 and was finally realised during the Russian presidency. The business community held talks that led to the signing of the first 12 commercial agreements.
The Minister noted that Russia expects more than 90 million tourist visits this year, which is 30 per cent more than the pre-pandemic figures. Foreign tourists are increasingly travelling to Russia, with a 50 per cent increase in foreign tourists in the first four months of 2024.

The BRICS Tourism Forum was organised to strengthen cooperation between the business communities and government agencies of the BRICS countries.

(Source: TV BRICS)