/safari-india/media/media_files/2025/02/03/bDQpShWONVSYX00p5kc4.jpg)
This agreement initiates a collaborative effort in tourism between Russia and India.
Moscow-India Tourism Pact
Russia's capital entered a Memorandum of Understanding with Thomas Cook India Group, India's largest tour operator, during the Mumbai OTM international tourism trade show. This agreement initiates a collaborative effort in tourism between Russia and India.
The document seeks to position Moscow as a premier spot for leisure and business tourism in the Indian market, which the Russian capital's authorities view as a priority. According to the agreement, the involved parties aim to enhance collaboration by sharing knowledge and best practices. Furthermore, they will focus on raising awareness within the Indian tourism sector about Moscow’s offerings in tourism and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) and creating new travel products designed explicitly for Indian travellers.
"The Indian tour operator expressed interest in bringing its clients to Moscow this spring as part of a familiarization trip. The MoU was signed at the trade show after we had agreed to organize a special presentation of Moscow as a tourist destination for Thomas Cook India Group and its clients, particularly in the MICE segment," - said Evgeny Kozlov, First Deputy Head of the Office of the Mayor and the Government of Moscow, Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee.
He said Thomas Cook India Group representatives expressed their interest in promoting Moscow in the Indian market at the Meet Global MICE Congress: BRICS Edition, which took place in Moscow in December 2024.
"The Thomas Cook India Group team are big fans of Moscow and are considered trendsetters in the Indian tourism industry," Kozlov explained.
Additionally, an agreement was signed between Moscow and Maharashtra Tourism under the framework of OTM, aimed at developing and promoting tourism between the Russian capital and Mumbai. "Maharashtra welcomes you to experience our tourism offerings and will be happy to send tourists from Maharashtra to explore the wonderful city of Moscow," the document states.
The Moscow delegation will attend India's leading tourism trade show in Mumbai from January 30 to February 1. This year, the event will bring together over 1,600 tourism industry representatives from more than 60 countries.
Over the three days of the event, Moscow plans to present its key initiatives and significant tourism projects, such as "Moscow Estates," "Moscow Tea Time Project," and "Moscow Gastronomy Project." Additionally, representatives of the Moscow delegation are expected to hold around 500 business meetings and negotiations with colleagues from the Indian tourism industry.
India continues to be a key market for the Moscow City Tourism Committee. In recent years, the number of tourists from India has been on the rise, consistently placing it among the top three non-CIS countries for visits to Moscow. For instance, during the first nine months of 2024, over 61,000 Indian visitors travelled to the Russian capital, almost reaching the total for the entire year of 2023.