The incoming tourism enjoyed a 40 per cent growth in the first semester of this year as compared to the same period of 2003, reported the Chairman of the Tourism Committee of Moscow Grigoriy Antyufeev. As of 2003 this figure (compared to 2002) totaled 10 per cent.
      
       Last year most tourists came to Moscow from Germany (208 thousand people), from the USA (146 thousand people) and France (98 thousand people). Since 1999 the tourist traffic had increased to more than 68 per cent.
      
       The expected number of foreign guests in Moscow by 2010 - 5 mln people – is quite possible, according to Mr. Antyufeev.
      In 2004 the government has allotted 310 mln rubles for tourism development in Moscow, while the draft budget 2005 provides much more considerable amounts.
      
       International satellite TV channels CNN Asia, CNN Europe, Middle East/Africa broadcast clips about Moscow, more than 1 mln versions of various magazines and booklets about Moscow have been printed.
      
       500 light maps of downtown Moscow in 4 languages have been placed in the streets of the capital. Besides, 2 thousand informative posters have been located in public transport and in the recreation area “Moscow Gold Ring”. The telephone service “02” of the Moscow State Department of the Interior is constantly operating and can give a full answer to any foreign citizen in the English language.
      
       However the number of terror acts in the second half of 2004 have caused a one-time 15 per cent reduction of the number of visits. In this connection Mr. Antyufeev said: “Upon consultation with our foreign colleagues we have come to think that the incoming tourist traffic will recover in 1,5-2 months”.