Visit reveals relations are growing, residents say
Russian residents of the UAE said talk of strengthening ties between Moscow and the UAE was more than diplomatic pleasantries.
They said they viewed the state visit by President Vladimir Putin as a major development in the relationship between the two countries, and they expect the growth in tourism and business links to accelerate as a result.
There is an appetite in Russia to explore new markets, they said, with Mr Putin’s UAE trip attracting great media interest in his home country.
“I think it’s a historic visit,” said Natalia Remmer, editor-in-chief of Business Emirates magazine, the only Russian language business publication in the region.
“The Russian president doesn’t just visit any country and he has a heavy schedule, so this shows this is seen as really important for international relations.”
The visit, she said, had attracted a lot of interest in Russia. “There is also a Russian cultural festival taking place, so we feel close to the UAE. We feel closer with this region than we are with Europe. Russia has a big Muslim population too. We see Arab people as brothers.”
Tourism between the countries has risen dramatically in recent years since visa rules were overhauled. Russian tourists are granted a free 30-day visa on arrival in the UAE, which can be extended for a further month in exchange for a fee. Almost one million Russian tourists visited the UAE last year, Ms Remmer said, an increase of about 20 per cent on 2016.
The numbers for this year are expected to rise again.
“Russians living here are mostly proud and happy to see the president visit,” said Ms Remmer, 35, who is originally from Saint Petersburg. “There are Russians working in every sector here. There are more than 100 flights every week between the UAE and Russia and new routes are opening up all the time.”
Business opportunities in the Middle East are particularly welcome due to the economic sanctions from the West, and new agreements in aviation, energy and the environment were sealed on Mr Putin’s visit.
“During these visits there are often a lot of contracts signed, so Russians here have been interested in what these would be,” said Natalia Shutilo, 40, a business consultant who has lived in the UAE for 11 years. “It’s a sign that the relationship between the countries is growing and there will be more and more collaboration.”