The India factor: How Moscow plans to grow tourism GDP to 8% – ET TravelWorld

As global tourism rebounds quickly in last couple of years, Moscow is making a concerted effort to position itself as a premier destination for Indian travellers. With a 40 per cent year-on-year surge in Indian visitors – totaling over 61,000 in just the last 10 months – Russia’s capital city is rolling out the red carpet with tailored experiences, improved infrastructure and strategic partnerships. During an interaction with ETTravelWorld, Evgeny Kozlov, First Deputy Head of the Office of the Mayor and Chairman of Moscow City Tourism Committee, revealed ambitious plans to capitalise on this growing market. The numbers speak for themselves. The first half of 2024 saw a remarkable 1.5-fold increase in Indian travellers to Moscow compared to 2023, with 28,500 visitors. Kozlov attributes this spike to Russia’s e-visa system introduced in August 2023, calling it a “game-changer” for accessibility. “While cultural and leisure tourism dominate, we’re seeing tremendous potential in business travel – about 30 per cent of Indian arrivals are for work, and 40 per cent of them return for vacations,” Kozlov noted. Business tourists, he added, spend 1.5 to 2 times more than leisure travelers, making them a priority segment. Moscow’s tourism economy currently contributes 5 per cent to the city’s GDP, but Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has set an ambitious target of 8 per cent. “To achieve this, we’re doubling down on high-value markets like India,” Kozlov said. The city is particularly keen on tapping into India’s burgeoning MICE and wedding tourism sectors. “We’ve hosted several large Indian weddings recently and have identified over 20 heritage venues perfect for such events,” he revealed, mentioning palace-like estates in Moscow’s countryside that rival European castles.

While the e-visa has helped, Kozlov acknowledged that a visa-free regime for groups – already available to Chinese and Iranian tourists – would be a “quantum leap” for the Indian market. “Federal discussions are ongoing,” he said, though he couldn’t provide a timeline.

More pressing is the payment hurdle. With international cards like Visa/Mastercard non-functional, Kozlov admitted it’s a “critical bottleneck.” Temporary solutions are emerging: “Several five-star hotels now offer ‘local cards’ where guests deposit cash upfront,” he explained. A federal “Tourist Card” and BRICS Pay platform are in development, but Kozlov urged patience: “The solution will likely combine QR codes and digital wallets.”

Curated experiences for Indian travellers
Understanding that Indian tourists have unique preferences, Moscow has launched several India-specific initiatives:

1. Indian Vibes’ Program: A digital guide (coming to DiscoverMoscow.com by summer 2025) listing Hindi-speaking staff, Indian restaurants, and culturally relevant attractions. Currently available in print at select hotels.
2. Family-Friendly Offerings: Augmented reality treasure hunts (like the viral “Catch the Cartoon Hero” game during the Winter Festival) and literature-themed trails for kids.
3. Cinema Tourism: The new 1,000-hectare Moscow Cinema Park (opened 3 months ago, already drawing 100,000 visitors) is courting Bollywood producers with subsidized filming permits.

Connectivity and future plans
A major constraint remains limited air connectivity. Currently, only Aeroflot operates direct Delhi-Moscow flights (3 weekly). Kozlov made an open appeal: “We welcome Indian carriers to launch services – the demand justifies it.” For now, he recommends routing through hubs like Abu Dhabi.

The Moscow City Tourism Committee is pulling out all stops for the Indian market. At travel trade exhibition OTM in Mumbai, Moscow Tourism showcased new offerings, preceded by a business mission with 80 Indian tour operators. “Our goal is to cross 100,000 Indian visitors annually by 2026,” Kozlov stated confidently.

With its blend of tsarist grandeur, Soviet nostalgia, and modern luxuries – all increasingly tailored to Indian tastes – Moscow is betting big on becoming the next hotspot for Indian globetrotters. The missing pieces? Smoother payments and more flights. Once those fall into place, the city’s aspiration to join the ranks of Dubai and Singapore as a favoured Indian destination might well become a reality.