Moscow Hosts Prestigious Gala Dinner Celebrating Partnerships With India6
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Moscow Hosts Prestigious Gala Dinner Celebrating Partnerships With India6

The Moscow City Tourism Committee hosted a prestigious gala dinner, bringing together more than 170 key partners including prominent associations like TIA, OTOAI, NIMA, MICE agencies, TO and TA, government officials, and media, along with delegates from Moscow, to celebrate the strengthening bond between India and the Russian capital. The event highlighted the growing collaboration in tourism and business sectors, underscoring Moscow’s commitment to enhancing ties with India’s outbound tourism market. This initiative aligns with Moscow’s strategic focus on the MICE sector, aiming to position the city as a premier destination for Indian business and leisure travellers. Moscow City Tourism Committee- Gala Dinner The evening welcomed guests with the unique traditional “Moscow Tea Time” followed by captivating performances from the renowned ‘Rusy’ dance troupe, blending Russian folk songs with modern choreography to showcase Moscow’s rich cultural heritage. It was an unforgettable spread of elaborate cuisines and extraordinary lucky draw prizes generously offered by the Moscow travel and MICE industry. Distinguished delegates included Ivan Fetisov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Mumbai; Dr. Elena Remizova, Head of Rossotrudnichestvo in India and Director of the Russian House in New Delhi; and Evgeny Kozlov, First Deputy Head of the Office of the Mayor and the Government of Moscow, and Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee, addressed the audience, emphasizing India’s significance as a top focus market and highlighting the growing popularity of the hassle-free e-visa among Indian travellers, noting a 1.4-fold increase in 2024 compared to 2023 with over 61,000 visits in the first nine months. Their speeches emphasized strengthening of unparalleled business opportunities and new attractions for the Indian travellers. Speaking on the occasion Evgeny Kozlov, First Deputy Head of the Office of the Mayor and the Government of Moscow, and Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee quoted,” Moscow is a modern capital of business tourism, boasting world-class infrastructure, including cutting-edge congress and exhibition venues, over 22,000 dining establishments, and advanced technological services. The Moscow City Tourism Committee reaffirms its commitment to supporting the growth of India’s MICE industry and enhancing our bilateral relationship through continued engagements and partnerships.” Adding to the occasion, Mr. Himanshu Patil, President of OTOAI, commented, “Moscow is a safe and culturally rich destination. With the simplified visa process, we expect a significant rise in travel interest from India to Moscow. We anticipate 2025 to be a successful year for India’s outbound travel market to this vibrant city, and at OTOAI, we look forward to fostering collaboration and supporting its growth.” The Moscow City Tourism Committee is a sectoral executive body of the Russian capital that implements city policy on the development and regulation of tourism and hospitality. With a strategic focus on branding Moscow as a premier tourist destination both domestically and globally, the Committee is dedicated to enhancing the city’s allure. In 2023, Moscow attracted 2.3 million foreign tourists, predominantly from key markets like India, China, CIS countries, and the Middle East. To strengthen international ties, the Russian capital organizes business missions, showcases its tourism potential at industry exhibitions, launches legislative initiatives, events and image projects aimed at foreign tourists, such as the Moscow MICE Ambassadors program in India.

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Moscow Strengthens Ties With India To Boost Tourism And MICE Engagement
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Moscow Strengthens Ties With India To Boost Tourism And MICE Engagement

The Moscow City Tourism Committee is ramping up efforts to deepen collaboration with India’s Outbound Tourism with special focus on the MICE sector.  Moscow is reinforcing its status as a premier destination for both leisure and business tourism, with India emerging as a key strategic partner. After 2020 India was among the leading non-CIS countries sending tourists to Moscow, a trend that continued robustly into 2024. The first half of 2024 saw a remarkable 1.5-fold increase in Indian travelers to Moscow compared to the same period in 2023, amounting to 28,500 visitors. This growth was driven primarily by the introduction of the e-visa system in August 2023, which made travel for Indian passport holders more accessible and boosted MICE traffic from India to Russia. Mr. Evgeny Kozlov, First Deputy Head of the Office of the Mayor and the Government of Moscow, Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee, “While most tourists visit Moscow for cultural, educational, and entertainment purposes, the city has also been focusing on expanding business tourism, which is now a significant contributor to the local economy.  By 2030 the number of foreign tourists is expected to reach 6 million people, mainly due to travelers from the CIS countries, the Asia-Pacific region, India, the Middle East and other parts of the world. “ Moscow is all set to captivate audiences at the OTM International Tourism Exhibition in Mumbai from January 30 to February 1, 2025. Over three days, the Russian capital will present the best it can offer in cultural, leisure, and business tourism. Ahead of the exhibition, on January 28, a Moscow Business Mission will bring together prominent Moscow tourism representatives and approximately 80 Indian tour operators and industry stakeholders. On January 29, a reception hosted by the Moscow City Tourism Committee will welcome Indian partners, with high-ranking officials in attendance, including Ivan Fetisov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Mumbai, Victor Gorelykh, the Director of the Russian House in Mumbai, and Evgeny Kozlov, Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee. For Reference The Moscow City Tourism Committee considers India as a priority market and regularly holds events and implements projects aimed at attracting tourists from the region: both leisure and MICE. Moscow participates in major exhibitions and shows in India (BLTM, SATTE, OTM, MILT Congress, etc.) and organizes business missions to build brand recognition, establish new business connections and receive valuable feedback from the market players. The presentations of its touristic potential have been held in such cities as Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai and other cities. In April 2024, the Moscow government hosted the “Shaping MICE Future” conference in Delhi, engaging over 100 industry representatives. Additionally, the Moscow MICE Ambassadors program, launched in 2023 with the Network of Indian MICE Agents (NIMA), certified 50 participants in its first year and expanded to certify 200 Indian professionals by November 2024. These initiatives have notably bolstered connections between Moscow and India’s event industry. Recently, in December 2024, Moscow hosted the second Meet Global MICE Congress: BRICS Edition, attracting over 1,300 business tourism representatives from BRICS nations and the Global South.

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