The first edition of MICE Russia which took place at Ararat Park Hyatt on 21st September 2004 was a resounding success…
The first edition of MICE Russia which took place at Ararat Park Hyatt on 21st September 2004 was a resounding success with 51 exhibitors from 12 countries present and 352 corporate buyers attending.
After just one event, it seems that MICE Russia has established itself as a significant show for companies involved in the business travel industry in Russia. As Pernilla Johansson of Scandic Hilton Hotels says, “It is of most importance that we as a Nordic and International Hotel chain are represented at this kind of workshop and fair. We need to increase our contacts in Russia since the demand is high for traveling to our hotels in Sweden and the other Nordic countries. During this workshop, we met many new contacts and potential partners to work with. We look forward to next time, when we hopefully will get even more business!”
Exhibitors included some of the biggest names in the industry; Dubai Dept of Tourism & Commerce Marketing, Finnish Tourist Board, German National Tourist Board, Malta Tourism Authority, Switzerland Tourism, VisitBritain, Augustea srl, BSI, Emirates – Arabian Adventures, Fraport AG – Airport Conference Center, Hilton International, Hilton Scandic, Hyatt International Hotels & Resorts, Kuoni Travel Destination Management, Meridien Resorts Ltd, Rendezvous Italiano, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, St Bernardin – Adriatic & Convention Center, and Zeus Travel to name but a few.
Response to MICE Russia was overwhelming. There was a real buzz surrounding the event as the business travel industry in Russia shows encouraging signs of rapid growth. As Grigory Geysherik, Director of the Hotel Industry Development Department of GAO Moskva, said at the official opening ceremony of MICE Russia, “The business tourism industry in Russia is developing rapidly, and an event like MICE Russia, which unites the largest companies representing this sector, meets the requirements of the market”.
One of the highlights of the event was the packed seminar programme. Companies such as Alpha Zulu, Bentour International, Finnish Tourist Board, Malta Tourism Authority, Radisson SAS, VisitBritain and Zeus Travel held informative and educational presentations.
Zeljka Tomljenovic, Event Manager, is delighted with the success of MICE. She says, ‘Sales exceeded expectations and I have received only positive feedback from exhibitors who felt that they had gained a valuable insight into the Russian market and met quality buyers. The MICE industry in Russia has proved to be even more sought after than I had previously thought.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
