BACOLOD CITY — Russian Ambassador Igor Khovaev urged Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. to promote Negros Occidental in travel and tourism trade shows in Russia.
Khovaev, with his First Secretary Dmitry Larionov, met with the governor at the Provincial Capitol on Friday as part of his three-day visit to the province, including Bacolod City.
“It is not common for Russians to smile a lot but the Filipinos infected me with the ‘smile virus’. So I smile more here in the Philippines, and when Russian people smile, they are very sincere,” Khovaev shared.
The envoy told the governor that Negrense food will draw Russian tourists to the province as they go on vacation with their families.
The Russian market is ideal because Russians stay longer, respect local history and spend a lot of money, Khovavev said.
He said that in 2017, only about 40,000 Russians came to the Philippines compared to more than one million who visited Thailand and half a million who went to Vietnam.
There were 5,303 Russians in the list of 1.7 million tourist arrivals in Negros Occidental last year.
On Friday night, Mayor Evelio Leonardia hosted a welcome dinner for Khovaev at the Bacolod City Government Center.
Khovaev will be the guest of honor during the 1st Bacolod Chicken Inasal Festival, which will start Saturday afternoon.
Aside from visiting Bacolod, the Russian ambassador also toured sites in the neighboring cities of Talisay and Silay. (PNA)
