Report – WTM2005: Moscow’s Committee for Tourism (MCFT) – WTM’s ‘Premier Partner’ this year – has embarked on an ambitious and wide-ranging development scheme…
Report – WTM2005: Moscow’s Committee for Tourism (MCFT) – WTM’s ‘Premier Partner’ this year – has embarked on an ambitious and wide-ranging development scheme, aiming for 5mn visitors by 2010.
In 2004, despite the impact of terrorist attacks in the city, international arrivals increased 17% to 2.9mn. Growth slowed in the first half of this year, but was still 7%.
Germany is Moscow’s biggest source market, generating almost 250,000 visits in 2004, followed by the US (173,000), France (113,000), Italy (106,000), and the UK (101,000). Other markets in the top 10 are China, Israel, Japan, Korea, and Turkey.
Leisure travel represented a 47% share of international visitors, and business travel 40%.
The MCFT has been working to improve Moscow’s tourism infrastructure and product. This year it launched the ‘garland of Russian estates’ – including visits to the many historic grand estates in the countryside surrounding the city.
Other plans include pedestrian zones in Moscow, and continuing expansion of the ‘Golden Ring’ programme – which is opening up historic cities near the capital. The MCFT has also initiated an all-Russia coordinating committee (currently with 48 regional members, but aiming to include 80) which addresses visitor issues related to distribution, development, tax, and law, as well as undertaking joint pan-Russia promotions.
The MCFT is also tackling the language barrier, introducing Roman script alongside Russian Cyrillic script at various tourist spots, adding illuminated plans of the city centre in four languages, and producing more multilingual promotional material.
In terms of security, the MCFT ensures that major visitor areas are patrolled by police, and is introducing a 24-hour English-language help service. The MCFT has taken over responsibility for the Moscow Academy for Tourism to help boost service quality, and is also training more guides.
As for the much-needed expansion of Moscow’s hotel capacity, the MCFT says 23 hotels are under construction or being refurbished (around 4500 rooms due this year and next).
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