Chennai, Feb. 2025
Moscow continues to reinforce its status as a premier travel destination, experiencing a substantial rise in international tourist arrivals. In the first nine months of 2024 alone, the Russian capital welcomed 19.7 million visitors, including 1.9 million foreign tourists — a 19% increase compared to the previous year. India has emerged as one of Moscow’s top two non-CIS inbound tourism markets, with over 61,000 Indian travelers visiting the city during this period.
Building on this momentum, Moscow made a strong impression at OTM 2025, held in Mumbai from January 30 to February 1, by captivating the Indian travel trade industry with its rich cultural heritage and diverse tourism offerings. The Moscow City Tourism Committee presented an engaging showcase of the city’s cultural, leisure, and business tourism opportunities, emphasizing its partiality towards the Indian market.
“India remains a key market for Moscow’s tourism strategy, and we are pleased to see a steady increase in Indian visitors to our city. Through strategic partnerships, customized travel experiences, and immersive initiatives, we look forward to welcoming more Indian tourists and providing them with an unforgettable experience in our vibrant and historically rich city,” stated Evgeny Kozlov, First Deputy Head of the Office of the Mayor and the Government of Moscow, Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee.
He further highlighted Moscow’s active engagement with the Indian market, including participation in SATTE 2024 and initiatives such as the Meet Global MICE Congress: BRICS Edition and the Moscow International Film Festival (MIFW), where India played a key role. The participation of the Moscow delegation at OTM 2025 further solidified the city’s commitment to fostering ties with Indian travelers and industry professionals.
On the sidelines of the exhibition, the Moscow City Tourism Committee finalized two significant agreements aimed at bolstering tourism cooperation with Indian partners. A landmark cooperation agreement was signed with the State of Maharashtra, India’s second most populous and third-largest state. This strategic partnership is designed to foster mutual growth and promote tourism between Moscow and Maharashtra, with a special emphasis on enhancing travel links between the Russian capital and Mumbai.
In addition, the Moscow delegation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Thomas Cook India Group, the country’s largest tour operator. This pivotal agreement marks the beginning of collaborative effort to develop tailored travel products for Indian tourists, facilitate the exchange of expertise and best practices, and increase awareness of Moscow’s diverse tourism offerings. Special focus will be placed on promoting the city’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) potential among key stakeholders in the Indian travel industry.
At OTM 2025, Moscow’s delegation included key tourism stakeholders, featuring six leading tour operators, including Tari Tour and FUN & SUN, along with three premier hotels such as Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy and VEGA Hotel & Convention Center. Visitors to the Moscow stand could explore exclusive tour packages, luxury accommodations, and uniquely curated travel experiences tailored for Indian tourists.
Throughout the event, the Moscow stand hosted over 2000 business meetings and negotiations, facilitating direct engagement between Moscow’s tourism representatives and their Indian counterparts. Experts presented the city’s flagship projects, including the Moscow Tea Time Project, which revives Moscow’s historic tea traditions, the Moscow Estates Festival, an iconic cultural event drawing over 100,000 visitors annually, the City of Discoveries educational initiative, and the RUSSPASS travel planning service. Of special note is the project “Russian Holidays. From Moscow to Siberia”, facilitating joint tours to Moscow and Tyumen region, which have been gaining significant popularity among Indian travelers. The Moscow+ initiative was also showcased at the trade show, promoting the concept of interregional travel and thus enriching the tourist trips to Moscow with new and unusual experiences.
Additionally, the stand highlighted key attractions such as the VDNH Complex, which merged Soviet-era architectural marvels with contemporary interactive museums, and Moskino Cinema Park, increasingly recognized by the Indian film industry as a promising filming destination. To enrich the visitor experience, the Moscow stand also offered traditional Russian tea and delicacies as part of the Moscow Tea Time initiative, providing attendees with a taste of the city’s famed hospitality.
Following the exhibition, Fairfest Media Limited, the event organizer, highly praised the Moscow stand, which was designed in the iconic constructivist style. The stand was honored with the prestigious Best Decoration Award for its outstanding design.
Ahead of OTM 2025, Moscow hosted a Business Mission on January 28, bringing together 14 Moscow-based travel companies and 109 foreign travel agencies. As a result, business contacts were established and more than 1,200 negotiations were held.
India remains a priority market in Moscow’s tourism outreach strategy. With strong cultural, strategic, and economic partnerships, Moscow actively participates in key Indian travel events such as BLTM, SATTE, OTM, and MILT Congress to deepen ties and gain insights into Indian traveler preferences. Business missions, familiarization trips, and B2B negotiations further strengthen these connections, fostering growth in both leisure and MICE tourism.
As Moscow continues to attract a growing number of Indian visitors, OTM 2025 presented an exceptional opportunity to explore the city’s world-class attractions, business potential, and strategic initiatives.
For more details, please visit: https://www.mos.ru/tourismpresstourism@mos.ru
