# Tourist flow to Moscow up 7.5% year-on-year in 2007



## Purple Dreams (Jan 31, 2007)

MOSCOW, January 30 (RIA Novosti) - Over 4.1 million foreign tourists visited Moscow in 2007, 7.5% more than the previous year, the city's tourism committee said on Wednesday. 

Germany had the largest number of tourists visiting the Russian capital, totaling over 296,000. The next four countries on the list were the United States, China, Britain, and France, respectively. 

The committee said the number of Moscow visitors is expected to increase to around 4.5 million this year, and to 5 million in 2010.

A total of 3.7 million tourists visited the Russian capital in 2006.


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## HD (Sep 17, 2003)

moscow has a lot to catch up (compared to other european cities the numbers for moscow are quite low) but it has a lot of potential to be one of europe's top destinations.


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## schmidt (Dec 5, 2002)

^^ I was planning to go there in April/May, but this visa thing just sucks too much.


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## Darryl (Jan 14, 2007)

HD said:


> moscow has a lot to catch up


That is an understatement.



HD said:


> but it has a lot of potential to be one of europe's top destinations.


Umm, I disagree. They have ALOT to change for that to happen.

My comments on this subject really piss off some Russian forumers, but I went there in April and I was really unimpressed with the tourist unfriendliness there. You'd never know they have any interest in foreign tourists there. They certainly don't treat them well or make it easy to tour there. Not to mention you will be completely lost without a Russian guide. If you don't speak Russian you will not be able to do anything on your own.


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## nuevo-chicago (Nov 24, 2007)

Agreed. Russian's are by far the most unfriendliest people in teh world. They are far too aggressive and full of themselves.


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## wayhigh (Dec 8, 2007)

nuevo-chicago said:


> Agreed. Russian's are by far the most unfriendliest people in teh world. They are far too aggressive and full of themselves.


i am really firendly and i am Russian...


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## nuevo-chicago (Nov 24, 2007)

wayhigh said:


> i am really firendly and i am Russian...


Your location says Minneapolis. You are not a real Russian.


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## wayhigh (Dec 8, 2007)

nuevo-chicago said:


> Your location says Minneapolis. You are not a real Russian.


i only been here for 5 years  and i was still friendly there too


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## Darryl (Jan 14, 2007)

wayhigh said:


> i only been here for 5 years  and i was still friendly there too


Good to know there's one.


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## wayhigh (Dec 8, 2007)

Darryl said:


> Good to know there's one.


thanx :wave:


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## nuevo-chicago (Nov 24, 2007)

wayhigh said:


> thanx :wave:


You don't have me fooled, NAZIS!


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## nuevo-chicago (Nov 24, 2007)

Anyways the other Russian's are not posting in this forum because there true face will show.


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## wayhigh (Dec 8, 2007)

nuevo-chicago said:


> Anyways the other Russian's are not posting in this forum because there true face will show.


a natzi????? i am not even close to that hehe  and i am one of a kind RUSSIAN


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## nuevo-chicago (Nov 24, 2007)

wayhigh said:


> a natzi????? i am not even close to that hehe  and i am one of a kind RUSSIAN


Are you related to the Romanov's?


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## wayhigh (Dec 8, 2007)

nuevo-chicago said:


> Are you related to the Romanov's?


no i am not,, i dont even look like a russian or act Russian....


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## Whiteeclipse (Mar 31, 2005)

unfriendliest people in the world??????

Have you even been to Russia? Don't just stereotype Russians because you seen them acting rude in the movies. 

I go to Moscow every year to see my family and the city treats me great. Every time I get lost, everyone is happy to help me find the right direction.


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## Whiteeclipse (Mar 31, 2005)

wayhigh said:


> no i am not,, i dont even look like a russian or act Russian....


If you don't look Russian and don't act Russian then stop calling yourself Russian, your just giving Russians a bad image.


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## wayhigh (Dec 8, 2007)

Whiteeclipse said:


> If you don't look Russian and don't act Russian then stop calling yourself Russian, your just giving Russians a bad image.


I am happy that i am RUSSIAN.. its just no one cant tell that i am Russian......


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## Whiteeclipse (Mar 31, 2005)

wayhigh said:


> I am happy that i am RUSSIAN.. its just no one cant tell that i am Russian......


I am told I don't look Russian all the time but I'm 100% Russian and I'm always proud of my birthplace.


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## nuevo-chicago (Nov 24, 2007)

Whiteeclipse said:


> unfriendliest people in the world??????
> 
> Have you even been to Russia? Don't just stereotype Russians because you seen them acting rude in the movies.
> 
> I go to Moscow every year to see my family and the city treats me great. Every time I get lost, everyone is happy to help me find the right direction.


Do you speak Russian fluently?


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## Whiteeclipse (Mar 31, 2005)

nuevo-chicago said:


> Do you speak Russian fluently?


I won't say fluently because I forgot many words but I do get my point across and I talk to my parents that live in Russia about couple of more times a week. I been living and the states for 17 years, therefore my Russian is not great.


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## dan82 (Jan 31, 2008)

so..it seems it is a great place to visit huh? what are the best things to do there?? and how much would cost a week being there?? 
thanks


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## Whiteeclipse (Mar 31, 2005)

dan82 said:


> so..it seems it is a great place to visit huh? what are the best things to do there?? and how much would cost a week being there??
> thanks


If you have to ask then you can't afford it. 

Moscow is a old city with many historic buildings, so sight seeing would be great then you could go to the museums and also see some theater shows.


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## nuevo-chicago (Nov 24, 2007)

Whiteeclipse said:


> If you have to ask then you can't afford it.
> 
> Moscow is a old city with many historic buildings, so sight seeing would be great then you could go to the museums and also see some theater shows.


Don't overdue it. It isn't that expensive for the locals. only tourists have to pay A LOT of money because the Russian's are corrupt.


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## wayhigh (Dec 8, 2007)

nuevo-chicago said:


> Don't overdue it. It isn't that expensive for the locals. only tourists have to pay A LOT of money because the Russian's are corrupt.


i think you are just jealous:lol:


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## Whiteeclipse (Mar 31, 2005)

nuevo-chicago said:


> Don't overdue it. It isn't that expensive for the locals. only tourists have to pay A LOT of money because the Russian's are corrupt.


I'm not going to say Russia is not corrupt but I'm not going to say America is not corrupt either. America just doesn't use that word corrupt, they like to use words such as charity and donations.

I'm sorry what did you say? Do you live in Moscow? 
Food for one thing is not cheap for the locals. 
Gas is not cheap for the locals while it's being produced in Russia and the cost is the same as America or couple of pennies more. 
Real Estate is crazy considering their average incomes.


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## nuevo-chicago (Nov 24, 2007)

Whiteeclipse said:


> I'm not going to say Russia is not corrupt but I'm not going to say America is not corrupt either. America just doesn't use that word corrupt, they like to use words such as charity and donations.
> 
> I'm sorry what did you say? Do you live in Moscow?
> Food for one thing is not cheap for the locals.
> ...


I have extended family in Moscow. The prices are not that bad. But than again they are doing better than your average Russian family.


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## nuevo-chicago (Nov 24, 2007)

wayhigh said:


> i think you are just jealous:lol:


No it is just stupid for people to generalize that a third world country can have the most expensive city. Russian's have too much pride just like your average poor people. They have pride because they have nothing else.


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## Whiteeclipse (Mar 31, 2005)

nuevo-chicago said:


> No it is just stupid for people to generalize that a third world country can have the most expensive city. Russian's have too much pride just like your average poor people. They have pride because they have nothing else.


Nothing else? Russia has history, winter Olympic games 2014, fast growing economy but that's not always good because now Russia has too many illegal immigrants looking for jobs and the law states Russian companies can't hire illegals therefore the illegal immigrants are competing crime. Russia has alot of natural resources which is using the funds to help develop the economy.


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## atariboy15 (Sep 11, 2002)

Whiteeclipse said:


> I'm not going to say Russia is not corrupt but I'm not going to say America is not corrupt either. America just doesn't use that word corrupt, they like to use words such as charity and donations.


HA. Is anything you type to be taken seriously after THAT post? 

Sure there is political corruption in the US, but NOTHING like in Russia. 

Besides, the type of corruption that is a problem for tourists in Russia would not be found so much in the states! IE: Police and others taking bribes etc - such corruption is more common in countries where public service agents are payed poorly


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## Darryl (Jan 14, 2007)

*Beware tourists to Russia!*

The police in Moscow are very corrupt. Just this year when we were in Moscow the police tried to extort us for bribes. It was very scary. They demand to see your passports and visa, then they claim there is a problem with your visa (there wasn't at all), then they threaten you with all these horrible things that will happen, then they tell you to avoid all that you can pay them money to forget the whole thing. They wanted $200 American dollars from each of us (there were 5 of us, so $1000 total). Luckily, I held my ground and would not give in (I demanded to speak with the embassy) and eventually they let us go. I guess they're not used to people standing up to them.

This is not an isolated incident! It happens all the time. If you are foreign and in Moscow as a tourist, AVOID policemen, they are not your friend! We spent the rest of our time there staying as far away from policemen as possible. This is sad considering policemen are supposed to be the very people you can trust. They are supposed to protect and serve!


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## nuevo-chicago (Nov 24, 2007)

^In Russia they do protect and serve...for the dictator!


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## ZimasterX (Aug 19, 2005)

I've been to Moscow several times in the past few years, and I've never run into police demanding a bribe. Lucky me I guess.


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## sears82 (Feb 14, 2008)

yeah it is not that common in some areas..but I have some friends in Moscow that have done it..


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