17 Oct 2013
Mr. Sergei Shpilko, Chairman of Moscow City Committee for Tourism and Hotel Industry, will host a press conference during WTM on Monday 4 November at 3pm in the North Gallery, Room 5.
The presentation, entitled "New Tourist Season 2014 for Moscow: New Winter Attractions and Key Factors For Future Growth", will highlight the latest tourism news and developments that took place in Moscow during 2013. The presentation will also focus on why Russia's capital city will continue to be even more popular and hospitable for tourists in 2014, including new hotel development and new attractions.
During the first six months of 2013, Moscow saw an increase in visitor figures with 2.73 million foreign visitors visiting Russia, a 10.4% increase compared to the same period in 2012. As a result of an increase in airlift to the capital with the introduction of a new direct flight from London to Moscow with easyJet in March 2013, the city also recorded an increase of 12% in UK visitors. With Russia's business and cultural capital looking to establish itself even further as an upcoming city break destination for European travellers, Moscow is hoping to welcome a total of 5.5 million foreign visitors by the end of 2013 with the top five international markets including Germany, China, France, USA and Turkey.
The City of Moscow has also undergone a range of new developments during 2013 including the launch of the new Radisson Cruise fleet along the Moskva River on a sleek Icebreaker yacht, allowing tourists to enjoy a river boat tour all year round. The 50-metre yacht will be part of the hotel's private fleet and will take guests on a leisurely two hour tour of the city's historic sites, including the Kremlin and the Cathedral of Christ Our Saviour.
In addition to developments within the attraction sector, including the launch of the Moscow Pass Card and new routes added to the Double-decker City Sightseeing buses, the Kempinski Nikolskaya hotel also opened during 2013 in the Red Square. Situated in the heart of Russia's non-stop capital, the hotel is the group's second luxury hotel in Moscow and includes 211 spacious rooms and suites offering unrivaled views of views of downtown and the Kremlin.
Visitors travelling to Moscow can choose from a wide range of attractive excursions and hotel facilities available through www.travel2moscow.com, including 12 new hostels which opened earlier this year. The website is available in English, German and Chinese, and offers information on Moscow's extensive event calendar including popular events such as the Light Festival, "Maslenitsa" (also known as the Winter Festival) and historical events such as "Times and Epoques" in Kolomenskoe Park, which welcomes up to 220,000 visitors.
For more information on Moscow, visit www.travel2moscow.com.
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