Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) made its debut at the Moscow International Travel and Tourism Exhibition 2019 (MITT) this week. QNTC led a Qatari delegation of hotels, local Destination Management Companies (DMCs) and other industry partners. The annual B2B event continues until 14 March.
The delegation’s participation is part of QNTC’s efforts to expand Qatar’s presence in the Russian market, a year after the opening of a QNTC representative office in Moscow. The Qatari presence is shedding light on the uniquely authentic experiences offered by Qatar among travel professional and hospitality leaders in Russia.
QNTC and its partners are also promoting Qatar’s growing tourist accommodation facilities, as well as new tourist attractions coming up this year including the much-anticipated National Museum of Qatar.
Rashed Al Qurese, a QNTC official, commented:
By participating in this year’s edition we aim to reflect our commitment to the Russian market, which is among Qatar’s fastest-growing primary source markets. As one of the most prominent industry events in Russia and CIS countries, MITT gives us an opportunity to provide industry professionals with an in-depth knowledge of our key offerings and the experiences they can in-turn offer to Russian travel enthusiasts.’
With a visa-free entry for Russians and more than 80 other nationalities, Qatar and has gained popularity among diverse audiences for being a warm and welcoming destination with stunning desert landscapes. In 2018, Qatar saw a 123% growth in the number of Russian visitor arrivals compared to the previous year, with visitors benefiting from the 28 weekly flights from Doha to key Russian cities Moscow and St. Petersburg aboard Qatar Airways.
Considered Russia’s largest and longest running travel exhibition, MITT’s audience and visitors include outbound tour operators, travel agents, and other industry companies such as airlines, transport companies, hotels and IT companies. With over 1,799 exhibiting companies and 239 destinations, MITT is a key meeting place and an opportunity to develop and build fruitful business relationships with industry professionals.