PEAKLIFE

By Neha Mehrotra

Russia is making an active bid to attract Indian travellers to visit the historical, political and spiritual heart of the Russian Federation—Moscow. The Moscow City Tourism Committee has been spearheading this endeavour by actively engaging with Indian travellers and fostering meaningful collaborations to enhance tourism between the two nations. To cater to the specific needs of Indian travellers, Moscow has implemented a multifaceted approach encompassing promotional campaigns, cultural exchanges, collaborations with Indian travel agencies, and hospitality stakeholders, along with leveraging international platforms to showcase Moscow’s attractions to Indian audiences.

In an exclusive interview with PEAKLIFE, Bulat Nurmukhanov, Head of the International Cooperation Division of the Moscow City Tourism Committee, discusses the strategy to promote Moscow not only as a cultural capital but also as a business hub and highlights initiatives aimed at ensuring a seamless travel experience.

1. How important is the Indian market for Moscow?

Mr. Bulat Nurmukhanov: India ranks in the top-3 for the number of tourists visiting Moscow among non-CIS countries, so it is rightfully considered to be one of the priority tourist markets for Moscow. This market is increasingly important for us as it presents significant opportunities for economic growth, trade, and investment. India is one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world, and its large and diverse consumer base offers immense potential for Russian businesses to expand their presence.

Indian tourists are an important source for the city’s economy and also a driver of international recognition. Before the pandemic, tourist traffic from India was growing by 12-15 percent annually. Now we are on the way to its recovery – arrivals from India totaled 60 thousand in 2023, up 26 percent from a year earlier.

Visiting Moscow is becoming more comfortable and faster thanks to direct air service. We’re expecting that the mutual tourist flow between our countries will continue to grow in the future, thanks to cooperation between both countries and their cultures.

2. What are some of the unique attractions that have proven to be particularly appealing to Indian tourists?

Mr. Bulat Nurmukhanov: The Russian capital has various services and attractions for all kinds of visitors. Among the most popular activities in Moscow, Indian tourists are exploring the national cuisine, shopping, sightseeing, visiting museums and art galleries, as well as parks and gardens. Moscow offers a variety of extreme activities for thrill-seekers, including skydiving, bungee jumping, indoor skydiving, ice climbing, and urban exploring. These adrenaline-pumping experiences provide a unique and exciting way to explore the city. Space enthusiasts will find the Moscow Planetarium and the Museum of Cosmonautics to be fascinating destinations. The Moscow Planetarium offers a variety of interactive exhibits, immersive shows, and educational programmes that explore the wonders of the universe. The Museum of Cosmonautics showcases a rich collection of artefacts, equipment, and memorabilia related to the Soviet and Russian space programmes.

3. Could you share some insights and initiatives to enhance the overall experience for Indian travellers?

Mr. Bulat Nurmukhanov: We are committed to enhancing the experience for foreign tourists by improving infrastructure, offering foreign language navigation, and organising educational events for the tourism industry to better understand how to deal with different foreign markets In early 2023, 37% of Asia-Pacific travel was for business. The introduction of e-visas (from August 1, 2023) has created an efficient and convenient solution for Indian citizens. Moscow is also promoting its cultural diversity to Indian visitors.

The Moscow MICE Ambassadors Programme, an online certification programme for representatives of the Indian MICE market, is also a significant initiative to support the growth of the tourist flow. In 2024, the programme is expected to expand to 200 Moscow MICE Ambassadors.

Moreover, we are developing joint initiatives with other regions of Russia to provide potential tourists with as many options as possible. The Moscow+ interregional travel framework fosters cooperation and joint travel packages that include visiting the Tyumen and Moscow regions in addition to Moscow city. These include new routes, special offers, and useful digital products. St. Petersburg, along with Moscow, is a tourist hub that attracts the highest tourist flow. That is why a programme called “Two Cities—a Million Impressions” appeared. It includes a wide range of tours and routes and a unified event calendar. Visiting several cities in one trip is very popular among foreign tourists, especially those returning to Moscow.

4. What steps are you taking to make Moscow a sustainable destination?

Mr. Bulat Nurmukhanov: The Russian capital is among the world leaders in the development and use of electric transportation. Innovative equipment is replacing buses, making travel even more comfortable for both tourists and locals alike, and the negative impact on the environment is decreasing. Today, there are already more than 1,500 electric buses in the capital. They are serviced in nine fleets and operate almost 120 eco-friendly routes. Their total length is more than 1,700 kilometres, and it has grown by more than a third in 2023. The capital follows the global trend for all-season tourist engagement and is becoming a kind of resort city due to quality and sustainable accommodation, a huge number of green areas and parks, and dozens of beach areas where tourists can enjoy picturesque routes for promenades with art objects and bicycle paths. Moscow is also developing river-cruise tourism. Two modern river stations – Severny and Yuzhny – opened after restoration and the Moscow officials have also started preparing Moscow’s waterfronts for the spring-summer season.

In recent years, Moscow has become one of the safest cities in the world. Moscow has a “smart city” system: outdoor CCTV cameras and a face recognition system on the streets and in the subway.

5. Lastly, what’s next?

Mr. Bulat Nurmukhanov: We strive to maintain the trend of growing interest among tourists in travelling to Moscow. There has been a definite increase in tourist flow compared to previous years, and we plan to upgrade Moscow’s attractiveness further this year. In response to the increasing interest in Moscow as a tourist destination, the city’s infrastructure has received additional impetus to develop more attractive offerings for tourists.

As of today, Moscow can now offer a wide range of services and various events that may be of interest to visitors from India, from purely business-themed events and events of cultural entertainment to luxurious and extreme activities. We plan to continue this trend in order for Moscow to continue to meet the demands of modern tourists in the future as well.