Large-scale city festivals boost to Moscow tourism

In recent years, Moscow has been rapidly regaining its position as an attractive destination for foreign tourists. In 2023, the Russian capital was visited by 2.3 million travelers from other countries, primarily from China, Turkey, India and Iran.

The number of tourists who came from countries such as the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait even exceeded pre-pandemic figures. According to the results of this year, the figures are expected to be even more optimistic: in the first quarter of 2024 half a million foreigners have already visited Moscow, which is almost 40 per cent more than the year before.

Most often, tourists come to Moscow for cultural and entertainment purposes: to see the famous Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral, admire the paintings of outstanding masters in the Tretyakov Gallery and stroll along the central streets of the city with their mansions of the 18th and 19th centuries. However, the numerous festivals that delight guests and residents of the city throughout the year are also beginning to attract more and more attention from travelers.

According to Evgeny Kozlov, Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee, the development of event tourism is one of the priorities for the entire capital’s tourism industry in the coming years. It is expected that by 2030, at least 14 percent of all tourists - about 7.3 million people - will come to Moscow for cultural festivals, large-scale fairs and other events.

As noted by the head of special projects and content development of the ANO “Project Office for the Development of Tourism and Hospitality of Moscow” Evgeniya Sumina, it is the opportunity to get bright, fresh and always different impressions that Moscow festivals give that becomes decisive for many tourists when choosing a destination for their next trip.

“Impressions are the capital’s resource that is important both for Muscovites who are rediscovering their beloved city, and for tourists who get to know Moscow from its best sides and return here again and again,” Sumina concluded.