Turkey’s bazaars have been hotspot destinations for Russian tourists and traders [Xinhua]
Russia has fully lifted a travel ban which had prohibited its citizens from using charter flights to Turkey.
The ban came into effect following Turkey’s shooting down of a Russian SU-24 fighter jet in Syrian air space last November.
The incident caused a significant rift between Ankara and Moscow and led to Russian President Vladimir Putin slapping trade sanctions on Turkey.
But a Russia-Turkey rapprochement which culminated in Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Moscow in early August appears to be rolling back the cold war that existed between the two countries.
On Sunday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed the decree which lifted the ban on charter flights between Russia and Turkey.
“Airline carries have started submitting requests to Rosaviatsiya (the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency) for carrying out on-demand operations to the Turkish Republic. Thus, Russian air authorities are ready to provide necessary conditions for charter flights to Turkey, including issuing all relevant permissions,” Russia Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov said in a statement carried by local media.
Turkish tourism officials and operators welcomed the decision saying it would significantly boost the industry there.
Turkey has since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 been a popular destination for Russian tourists and traders. But the deterioration in ties with Russia and the failed coup attempt in July have resulted in fewer tourists coming to Turkey.
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
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