Description:

The President of the Valencian Regional Government, Francisco Camps, travelled to Russia where he met with the Vice Minister for Tourism and President of the Russian Tourism Agency (ROSTOURISM) and the Association of Russian Tour Operators (ATOR). The meeting concluded with the signing of an agreement for a tourist delegation exchange programme which aims to promote the ‘Comunitat Valenciana’ brand in Russia and increase numbers of Russian tourists.

The actions planned as part of this programme include a visit by representatives of Russia's leading tour operators and tourist sector to the Region of Valencia in May 2011 in order to promote the region's varied tourist offer. Members of the Valencian tourist sector are planning to visit Altayskiy, in southern Russia, in November of 2011. Furthermore, there are plans to open a Tourist Info office for the Region of Valencia in the IVEX office located in Moscow.

Rostourism is the Russian Federal Tourism Agency responsible for regulating the main tourist actions carried out in Russia, informing tour operators, travel agencies and tourists about matters of safety and security, promoting the country's tourist product in national and international markets, and organising congresses, conferences, seminars and exhibitions, among other actions. The Association of Russian Tour Operators (ATOR) is a government organisation whose work is based on the development of the tourist market and interest in shared standards.

Alongside this meeting, the President of the Valencian Regional Government met with the Russian tour operator Natalie Tours to find out the needs of this niche market and adapt the Valencian tourist office to them, with the ultimate aim of trebling Russian tourism coming to the Region of Valencia over a period of five years.

Consolidating the Region of Valencia as a tourist destination in the Russian market is part of the promotional actions included in the Valencian Regional Government's tourism policy for 2010, aimed at developing European and emerging markets that represent greater capacity for growth and, therefore, diversifying the offer to adapt to the preferences of the different markets.

Key tourist market

Russia is one of the ten biggest markets for outbound tourism in the whole world, and the ninth largest source of tourism in the Region of Valencia. Specifically, in 2009 the Region of Valencia received a total of 12,246 Russian tourists and in April 2010 the number of travellers grew 19.7%, in comparison with the same period in 2009.

The Russian market is an important business opportunity for tourist destinations and products from the Region of Valencia, since it is a growing market and the average tourist profile has a high level of disposable income and opts for long stays.