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In pre-pandemic times, most foreign visitors to Phan Thiet, a city in southern Vietnam that is affectionately known as "Little Moscow," were Russian.
Not too far away in Nha Trang, the capital of Khanh Hoa province, restaurant menus are translated in Russian and Mandarin. At beachside resorts, Russian food dominates the buffets. Tour agencies have popped up to cater only to Russians.
Vietnam and Thailand were reportedly expecting to welcome about 1.8 million Russian tourists this year, a goal that now appears very unlikely and could hamper economic recovery efforts for the decimated sector.
Because ofinternational sanctions imposed on Russian banks and companies, there have been reports of Russian tourists unable to use their credit cards while in Southeast Asia.
Local media have also reported on stranded Russian and Ukrainian tourists in Thailand, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand has had to take action, liaising with airlines and asking hotels to offer low-cost accommodation.