ST PETERSBURG - The number of Chinese tourists in St Petersburg during 2017 New Year holidays has doubled in comparison to the same period of the previous year.

"Interfax" reports that 4,000 Chinese tourists visited the "northern capital" of Russia during the last week of 2016 and the first week of 2017. According to the China-Russia Tourist Association "World without Borders", 45 percent of Chinese tourists in St Petersburg are elderly people, mostly women.

The total number of Chinese tourists in St Petersburg almost doubled in 2016. Due to the increasing demand, the local Pulkovo airport offers direct flights between St Petersburg and Beijing, Urumqi, and Shanghai.