Ample Opportunities of Tourist Moscow

The 17th Moscow International Travel and Tourism Exhibition MITT 2010, which is the major and the most representative industrial marketplace for the professionals of Russian and Eastern Europe tourist business, is over. The exhibition annually draws together more than 3,000 companies from 157 countries and regions of the world.

As before, MITT-2010 was held in the prestigious exhibition complex in the centre of Moscow — Expocentre at Krasnaya Presnya. For 4 consequent days the exhibition turned into a platform for professional conferences, congress events, workshops, round tables and the center for establishment of business contacts. This is MITT that traditionally makes the mid of March a peculiar landmark for the world tourism industry: market players advertise all specialties prepared in advance of the coming tourist season — new programs, new routes, new prices. The Moscow tourist forum is, first and foremost, the platform for professional business communication in tourist industry with the share of trade visitors over 70%.

With hundreds of foreign tour operators, MITT defines a potential of the Russian inbound tourism and is a panoramic showcase of the Russian tourist opportunities. Visitors come to MITT to “open Russia” that is why participation in the spring exhibition in the central Expocenter creates unbound prospects for advancement of tourist industry in the Russian regions.

60,000 sq.m. were allocated for MITT-2010, 8 exhibition pavilions are available for communication of tourist professionals. Pavilion No.1 was a show-stand for the Russian outbound and domestic travel capacities. Pavilion No.2 hosted expositions of the Mediterranean and European countries that are especially numerous in the Russian capital this year, Pavilion Forum received the countries of Asia, Africa, Latin America, Australia and Oceania. Russian regions were represented in Pavilion No.8. Buses of Russian coach tour operators lined up at the open exposition platform.

Traditionally, MITT draws particular attention to advancement of outbound and domestic travel. Moscow is the center and the capital of the Russian national culture and this stirs high interest of foreign tourists in the Moscow excursion programs. Moreover, Moscow is a starting point for nearly all tourist routes to the Russian regions.

Tour operators of the Russian capital presented a variety of vacation packages — from 1-2-day familiarization weekend tours to extended tours in the capital and its suburbs. Moscow excursions include visits to museums, art galleries, open-air museums as well as walking tours in the old streets of the Moscow City with stories about the most exciting historic events of the ancient capital and coach tours to various squares and avenues.

A special offer this year is excursion programs associated with the major historic events celebrated in Russia. These are the 65th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the 50th anniversary of the Russian cosmonautics. For example, on occasion of the Victory Anniversary travel agencies of the capital offer trips to the Hill of respectful Salutation, the Historic Museum and the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, a themed excursion Battle for Moscow and other tours. On account of the anniversary of cosmic exploration there are tours to the Memorial Museum of Astronautics and the Star City.

Traditional Moscow sightseeing trips may be customized at the pleasure of the tourist. The travel arsenal of companies that offer trips for foreigners includes special trips for teenagers and schoolchildren. Themed excursions are also numerous: Ancient Moscow and Moscow of the Nobles, A.S. Pushkin’s Moscow and M.S. Bulgakov’s Moscow, Night Moscow — Big City Lights, Golden-Domed Moscow, Moscow of Artists and Patrons, Moscow — Russian Capital, Mysteries of Moscow Mansions, Mystic of the Romanovs’ House, Prisoners of the Moscow Monasteries etc.

The Moscow region also offers treatment and recreation at health resorts of the capital and the Moscow vicinity. Medical tourism is another great issue that raised full consideration in the framework of the First Moscow Medical & Health Tourism Congress. Russia has a huge potential of medical tourism with numerous opportunities to grow.

The Congress discussed medical and health tourism topics as a profitable business, insurance, related services, development of inbound medical tourism in Russia and other issues. The Congress participants included medical providers, tour operators and travel agencies, representatives of clinics, practitioners, national tourist offices from all over the world, Russian regional tourism administrations, health resorts and SPA complexes, insurance companies, hoteliers, flight carriers, consulting companies and marketing bureaus.

The business section of the exhibition was featured by the Russian Regions Conference. Another conference — Travel Technology Conference was arranged in cooperation with the leading experts (Amadeus, Info-port, Nota Bena, PPP UDP, Bronni.ru, Megatech, SAMO-soft) and other key market players. Innovations can become a sound basis for onrush of tourist business and cost optimization.

The business section of MITT-2010 also included workshops and advisory services on topical issues of tourist business, showcases of new routes and services, and other events. All participants and visitors of the exhibition discovered something new — it’s not coincidently that MITT is one of the top five world tourist exhibitions that enjoys long and unconditional recognition within the international tourist community.

On May 13 — 16 the Exhibition Center Gostiny Dvor will hold the Ninth Moscow International Tourist Fair MITF-2010.