Restrictions adopted by Washington on Russians applying for U.S. visas will negatively affect tourism flow to the United States, the chief of Russia's tourism agency said on Wednesday.
"Unfortunately, I think this will have a negative effect on the tourist flow. The limits in visa services will be more difficult and less convenient for Russian citizens to get the visa. This will for sure lead to a drop in the number of tourists," said Oleg Safonov, head of Russian Federal Agency for Tourism.
The U.S. embassy in Russia said Monday that it will suspend all nonimmigrant visa operations across Russia for nine days starting Wednesday after the Russian government imposed cap on U.S. diplomatic personnel in the country.
"All nonimmigrant visa operations across Russia will be suspended on August 23. Operations will resume in Moscow on September 1; visa operations at the U.S. consulates will remain suspended indefinitely," the U.S. embassy said in a statement.
Safonov said the restrictions on visa service would cause complications for Russian travel agencies and people from outside of Moscow will have to spend more time and money to attend a visa appointment.
He hoped the measure is temporary and the visa service will resume normal.
Russia last month demanded the United States cut its diplomatic staff in Russia by 755 people to 455 by Sept. 1 and seized a U.S. warehouse and a recreational compound in Moscow in retaliation for Washington's sanctions on Russia.
