The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa and Russian Information Centre have dismissed reports that said India was struck off the list of safe travel destinations for Russian tourists. RIC said its statement was misconstrued, reported PTI, and issued a clarification on Sunday.

RIC head Ekaterina Belyakova said that the First Deputy Speaker of the Russian Parliament had offered to convene a meeting on improving the availability of new, safe tourist destinations for Russians such as South Vietnam, South China and Cuba, and not, as previously reported, that these places were being considered in place of India. Instead, Belyakova told PTI that Goa and India were mentioned as alternatives to destinations such as Turkey and Egypt. A revised travel advisory has reportedly been formulated, blacklisting Turkey and Egypt as unsafe.