Has anyone stopped to think that perhaps Russia simply isn't interested in increasing the flow of USA tourist dollars at the moment? It's not an entirely new concept; in fact, many countries consider easy access for tourists to be a net harm to their societies in spite of the potential economic gains. Saudi Arabia, for instance, isn't interested in tourist dollars from anyone outside the GCC. Nepal and Bhutan weren't interested in tourism money from anyone, period, up until recently.

In so many posts in this thread I hear undertones of, "I'm a tourist, not an immigrant, and besides, I have dollars, so open up the door and let me in!" Maybe it's just fine with some governments if people assume there's nobody home and go knock on some other door. Money talks, especially in tourism, but that doesn't mean anyone has to listen.