ITE Group Plc announced the launch of a new annual event, MICE RUSSIA, to take place on the 21st September 2004 at the Ararat Park Hyatt, Moscow. This exclusive one day event is aimed at suppliers, travel agents, tour operators and corporate buyers with an interest in growing their share in the incentive and business travel industry in Russia and the CIS.

As the importance of the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events industry in Russia grows, so has demand from participants of MITT (Moscow International Travel and Tourism Exhibition) for a commercial workshop dedicated to this sector. The event provides international suppliers with the unique opportunity to meet leading corporate travel buyers from Russia. It will enable them to discuss business and debate developments in the business travel industry in Russia. A comprehensive programme of educational seminars will be held alongside the workshop.

Members of the Moscow based Business Travel Agents Association (BTTA) all report dynamic growth in the sector and whilst there are no official statistics relating to the business travel industry, experts estimate that the market is presently worth around $150 million per year.

Zeljka Tomljenovic, Project Manager, sees the new launch as a significant initiative in the development of the travel industry in Russia. She says, “As the Russian travel industry matures, there is a growing need for more specialist events.

We are confident that MICE RUSSIA will provide a productive and informative workshop for business travel specialists.”

ITE Travel Exhibitions are the organisers of Russia’s and the Ukraine’s largest and most important travel industry exhibitions MITT and UITT. Both are annual events.