On November 7, Murmansk hosted the conference “Arctic Horizons”, dedicated to the promotion of the Murmansk region and the northern regions of Russia in the global tourism market. The event gathered experts in cooperation with the tourist markets of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. Experts working with tourists from Asian countries spoke at the conference.
At present, the Russian Arctic is one of the key points of attraction for foreign tourists. Over the past 5 years, the number of foreign tourists in the Murmansk region has more than doubled, with the main growth from Asia-Pacific countries: China, Thailand, Japan, and India. In particular, over 30,000 Chinese tourists visited the region last year.
Vice-President of the RAUIE
Maxim Kuznetsov, spoke about the interaction of Russia and China in the tourism sector:
“Chinese tourists who come to Russia most often visit Moscow, St. Petersburg, Primorsky Krai and Irkutsk Oblast. About two million travelers annually come from China to Russia. The tourist flow from China increased significantly after 2014 due to the devaluation of the ruble.” said Maxim Kuznetsov. According to him, the guests are interested in cultural, educational, ethnic and gastronomic tourism, as well as shopping and trips along the "Red Routes" - places related to the communist history of the country.
The conference program included presentations of tourism companies of the Murmansk region and partners from Asia. Now in the region there is a large influx of Chinese tourists who are interested in excursions to the unique natural and historical places of Russia. Also in recent years there has been an increase in the popularity of the Arctic among travelers from Thailand and Malaysia. Previously, the leaders of the tourist flow were Norway, Finland and Sweden.
The conference was also attended by representatives of India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Tanzania. Following the results of the event, it is planned to show tourist routes and gastro tours for foreign guests.
