Moscow City Tourism Committee is making significant strides in deepening its engagement with India’s travel industry, showcasing its dynamic tourism landscape and forging key partnerships.
The Moscow City Tourism Committee set the tone with an exclusive gala dinner, uniting over 170 prominent industry leaders, including TIA, OTOAI, NIMA, MICE agencies, tour operators, government officials, and media representatives. This high-profile gathering underscored the growing synergy between India and Moscow, fostering meaningful collaborations in the tourism sector.
Moscow’s outreach included its participation in India’s leading tourism trade show, where it unveiled major tourism initiatives such as Moscow Estates, highlighting the grandeur of historic estates; the Moscow Tea Time Project, celebrating a tea heritage shared with India; and the Moscow Gastronomy Project, showcasing the city’s vibrant culinary landscape. Over the course of the event, Moscow representatives reinforced the city’s position as a prime leisure and MICE tourism destination.
Further strengthening these efforts, Moscow signed a landmark agreement with Thomas Cook India Group at the trade show, paving the way for a strategic collaboration. With this MoU, Thomas Cook India will introduce its clients to Moscow through an exclusive familiarization trip this spring, solidifying Moscow’s appeal among Indian travellers and positioning it as a key destination for both business and leisure tourism.
Moscow City Tourism Committee hosts prestigious Gala Dinner celebrating Partnerships with India
Moscow City Tourism Committee hosted a prestigious gala dinner, which brought 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.
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 the strengthening of unparalleled business opportunities and new attractions for 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 said,” 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, 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.”
Moscow Announces Start of Cooperation with India’s Largest Tour Operator
Moscow also signed an agreement to begin cooperation with India’s largest tour operator, Thomas Cook India Group, at a trade show in Mumbai.
The capital of Russia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with India’s largest tour operator, Thomas Cook India Group, at the international tourism trade show OTM in Mumbai. The agreement marks the beginning of active cooperation with the Indian side in the field of tourism.
The document is primarily aimed at promoting Moscow as a key destination for leisure and business tourism in the Indian market, which the authorities of the Russian capital consider a priority market. Under the agreement, the parties plan to strengthen cooperation through the exchange of knowledge and best practices. They will also work on increasing awareness among the Indian tourism industry about Moscow’s tourism and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) potential, and developing new travel products that are tailored to Indian travellers.
“The Indian tour operator expressed interest in bringing its clients to Moscow this spring as part of a familiarization trip. The MoU was signed at the trade show, after we had agreed to organize a special presentation of Moscow as a tourist destination for Thomas Cook India Group and its clients, particularly in the MICE segment,” said Evgeny Kozlov, First Deputy Head of the Office of the Mayor and the Government of Moscow, Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee.
According to him, Thomas Cook India Group representatives expressed their interest in promoting Moscow in the Indian market at the Meet Global MICE Congress: BRICS Edition, which took place in Moscow in December 2024. “The Thomas Cook India Group team are big fans of Moscow, and are considered trendsetters in the Indian tourism industry,” Kozlov explained.
In addition, an agreement was signed between Moscow and Maharashtra Tourism within the framework of OTM, aimed at developing and promoting tourism between the Russian capital and Mumbai. “Maharashtra welcomes you to experience our tourism offerings and will be happy to send tourists from Maharashtra to experience the wonderful city of Moscow,” the document says.
India remains one of the priority markets for the Moscow City Tourism Committee. Tourist flow from this country has been steadily increasing in recent years, with India traditionally ranking among the top three non-CIS countries in terms of the number of tourists visiting Moscow. For example, in the first nine months of 2024, more than 61,000 Indian travellers visited the Russian capital, nearly matching the figures for the entire year of 2023.
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, and launches legislative initiatives, events and image projects aimed at foreign tourists, such as the Moscow MICE Ambassadors program in India.
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