The third day of the business mission of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry to Istanbul was dedicated to tourism. The delegation from the capital of Russia visited the Association of Travel Agencies of Turkey (Tursab). Here, a press conference took place, during which Moscow's hospitality opportunities were presented.
Tursab’s member of the Bboard of Directors, Mr. Ali Bilir, noted in his speech that despite the negative developments in recent years, the growth of the tourism industry amounts to 4-5% per year. And Russia and Turkey are among the world’s preeminent countries that support the promotion of tourism. "Our countries are friends, whose economies are closely linked. Moreover, we have much in common in the field of culture. Both countries have good prospects in the sphere of tourism development. 2019 was declared a joint year of culture and tourism, which should play an important role in the further development of our relations, “ he said.
According to the Vice President of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Suren Vardanyan, today Moscow faces the task of dramatically increasing the tourist traffic and developing its tourism infrastructure. "Moscow is usually the first city, with which foreign tourists come in contact. Therefore, we are actively developing the essential elements of tourism. For example, a couple of years ago, in the Russian capital, there were 3,500 official taxis, and today there are more than 72,000. This type of transportation has become the fastest, most convenient and cheapest in all of Europe", said the Vice President of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce. He also mentioned other infrastructure projects: the development of the hotel business, new tourist attractions and venues. "The Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry takes on an active part in the development of the hospitality industry in the capital. I am confident that we will find ways that will help bolster tourism both in Turkey and in Russia,” Mr. Vardanyan said.
The President of the National Tourist Union, Mr. Roman Skory, told the meeting’s participants about the tasks involved in the development of Russia’s regions, creating a tourist infrastructure there. In this endeavor, he said, Turkish companies can help by providing the requisite experience and resources. "Turkey is very accomplished in promoting inbound tourism. We have the same task. We have serious plans for the development of the regions. You have a lot of experience in creating the infrastructure, as well as the necessary resources. By combining our efforts, we can create sophisticated products that are beneficial to the both of us. We are open to all forms of cooperation, and we will gladly accept all of your creative ideas.”
Ms. Marina Shmatova, the Chairman of the Committee for the Support and Development of Youth Entrepreneurship, spoke about the project “From Russia with Love”, which describes our country by providing specific examples. In particular, within the parameters of the project, young promising designers travel to different countries to participate in the "fashion weeks". This allows foreign visitors to directly, at first-hand, to access information about Russia, the trends occurring in our country, while discovering our young people’s interests.
Ms. Inna Pekhova, the General Manager of the Petroff Palace Hotel, the Director for the Development of the Metropol Hotel, told our Turkish colleagues about the development of the hotel business in Moscow today, as well as the plans to enter new markets, specifically in Turkey. According to her, today, in the Russian capital, there are many new interesting projects in the field of hospitality. Among them -- the project "Opera in the Palace", taking place during warm months in the courtyard of the Petrovsky Travel Palace, with the soloists of the Bolshoi Theater performing classical works. "We are pursuing many interesting events in the city, together with the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the National Tourist Union," she said.
After the conclusion of the official part of the meeting, the professionals of the tourism industry discussed specific issues for cooperation during their B2B session.