The GCC becomes a priority market for Moscow’s destination marketing
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Moscow City Tourism Committee is set to hold its first on-ground roadshow in the UAE after the pandemic, within an ongoing initiative to promote Moscow as a leading tourism and business destination to the region. The first roadshow will take place in Dubai on the 10th of January 2022, at the Shangri-la Hotel Dubai, followed a second roadshow in Abu Dhabi on the 11th of January 2021, at Sofitel Corniche Abu Dhabi Hotel.
Each roadshow is expected to attract a total of 90 attendees, while making sure all health and safety regulations are in place, as required by the local health authorities. it is expected that the key players from Moscow will come to have one-to-one meetings with the best representatives of the UAE tourism, hospitality, and aviation industries. The roadshow will also demonstrate the tourist potential of Moscow in the gastronomic sphere: this fall, the capital of Russia became the first city in the post-Soviet space to be included in the Michelin Red Guide.
Commenting on the upcoming roadshows in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Head of International Division Anastasia Popova said: “Moscow City Tourism Committee is really excited to host its first live roadshow since the breakout in the UAE, as part of our efforts to further engage with the GCC market and develop our connections with the region. As means to broaden the connections between the UAE’s outbound travel professionals, MICE specialists and Mosturizm travel industry partners, the roadshows will prove a great opportunity to enhance relationships, develop new opportunities, and provide more options for Emirati customers.”
In addition to the two upcoming roadshows, the Moscow City Tourism Committee is continuously developing and implementing highly-targeted marketing and public relations activities through industry experts in the region, to engage and educate the region’s outbound travel professionals, so they in turn develop innovative and exciting packages that showcase the destination’s unique offerings and experiences.
In 2021, Mosturizm organized ten digital roadshows with about 2000 foreign and 500 Moscow participants and more than 4500 online negotiations. Most recent digital roadshow targeting the GCC travel trade was held this summer, from the 9th to 12th of August for the UAE market, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar. The event saw a total of 615 scheduled meetings and a total of 286 registered companies.
“When the borders remain closed, international digital roadshows have a delayed but obvious effect on the Moscow tourism industry and potential tourist flow. Even during a pandemic, we do not let the world forget that the capital of Russia is attractive at any time of the year and is ready to satisfy the tastes of the most diverse and most demanding tourists. Online meetings are already becoming the basis for further contracts, and representatives of both Moscow and foreign travel industry note the high dynamics of the long-term cooperation development in the B2B sphere”, explained Anastasia Popova.
The upcoming roadshow will highlight the incredible versatility of Moscow. Seeing unique museum collections, visiting ballet, taking a walk in the park, watching horse races, playing golf, exploring various shopping locations and gastronomic gems of the capital are just some of the opportunities that the capital has to offer. In two days, Moscow tourism market experts together with partners from the Middle East will have the opportunity not only to discuss Moscow’s tourism potential, but also to conduct business negotiations, on the basis of which further long-term cooperation will be built.