VisitScotland’s business tourism unit has just unveiled a new Russian language website, containing hundreds of venues, service providers and event planners, as well as a host of recommended itineraries, geared to the lucrative, fast-growing Russian business tourism market.
Russia is currently the ninth largest tourism market in the world, with an increasingly affluent and adventurous middle class looking for new horizons. What is more, 42% of Russians visiting Britain come on business, and there are now more flights available between Scotland and Russian via London, Frankfurt, Paris or Amsterdam.
With an eye to promoting the new website, VisitScotland will be hosting a workshop in Moscow and St. Petersburg later on in the year to showcase the country as a business tourism and holiday destination.
Costa del Sol should tap Russian and Ukrainian markets
Miguel Gomez, president of the Association of Businessmen and Professionals of Marbella, has stated recently that the current crisis is not being felt so much on the Costa del Sol as in the rest of Spain, due to the fact that the destination began to feel the pinch long before.
With the aim of tapping new markets, Gomez advocates for targeting Russia, Ukraine and the Middle East. He also says that the association he presides will be petitioning the Foreign Office to facilitate visa applications for businessmen and holidaymakers from these markets.
Likewise, given the spectacular growth of destinations like Turkey when compared with Spain’s low or non-existent growth, Gomez suggests that the country should sign co-operation agreements like the one that Turkey has with Russia and the Ukraine so as to not miss out on the opportunities offered by these markets.
