Introducing the New Moscow: A Global Hub with an Urban Environment

At ITB Asia 2019, Moscow City Tourism Committee shared about the Russian capital’s well-developed infrastructure in a modern urban environment. Offering high-quality tourism as well as a rich cultural and sports life, Moscow is one of the most promising tourist destinations in the world, attracting tens of millions of visitors every year since 2010. Annual tourist traffic to Moscow has almost doubled, exceeding 23.5 million people in 2018.

Proactive efforts to develop the cultural landscape of the city has significantly strengthened Moscow’s position as a global cultural hub. There is something to see and do in Moscow all year round. The city is a host to numerous national and international festivals, including the events of the Moscow seasons street festivals, which have consistently won worldwide awards. Retail, public and restaurant infrastructures have also reached new heights. New cafes and restaurants, gourmet markets and quarters are becoming points of attraction for tourists from around the world.

All these factors contribute to unlocking the enormous potential for sustainable tourist traffic growth and strengthening Moscow’s position in the travel market – both in Russia and abroad. The Moscow tourism and hospitality industry is becoming increasingly important and the government is paying greater attention to this sector by actively working to develop and promote the city as the ultimate tourist destination.

Cultural Attractions
The capital’s museums, theatres and art spaces serve as guides to the city’s identity. Dive into the cultural and historical environment through visiting the UNESCO World Heritage landmarks and sites: the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square, the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye and the Novodevichy Convent.

Every day – and any season – Moscow offers concerts, festivals and fairs that can satisfy the most diverse interests of Muscovites and tourists held at their world-class parks such as Zaryadye Park, Gorky Park as well as VDNH. Most of these events are free and accessible to all. In 2018, 30 major music and classical art festivals were held in the city, in addition to numerous cultural events and exhibitions.

The city’s transport system, the Moscow Metro connects all parts of the city and is the backbone of its transportation system. Some metro stations are architecture masterpieces, 48 of them are cultural heritage sites, and more than 40 are architectural monuments.

Gastronomy and Shopping Haven
Moscow has experienced a genuine gastronomic boom in recent years: brand new cafes and restaurants keep popping up, food festivals are being held and modern gastronomic spaces, food halls and entire restaurant quarters are being opened. The capital’s traditional marketplaces are experiencing its peak as trendy popular destinations where one can not only buy fresh products, but also try international cuisines as well as participate in cooking master-classes.

International ratings reflect the high quality of the city’s establishments: In 2019, three Moscow restaurants were included in the top 100 restaurants in the world: White Rabbit (13th place), Twins Garden (19th) and Selfie (65th).

The city is also a great destination for shoppers. The famous GUM and TSUM department stores in the heart of the city and a host of boutiques selling clothes, shoes and accessories from luxury international brands and Russian designers offer a refund of up to 20% of the sales price via the Tax-Free system.

In almost every Moscow district, there are large shopping and entertainment centres selling popular and affordable brands. In addition to shopping, these centres offer family and children’s entertainment. Moscow also boasts a number of outlets and discount centres for promotion and discount seekers.

Discover.Moscow
Moscow is progressively working on improving the tourism ecosystem which includes combining traditional products and innovative technologies used to enhance the experience in the city through the various information channels. Currently the city offers an official tourist portal, Discover.Moscow, that is available for the different needs of the travellers, as well as preparing to launch new digital services that will create an unforgettable adventure.

Explore the city via thematic routes with audio guides to sites associated with famous writers. Discover.Moscow is an official multilingual tourist portal, and modern information platform for Moscow visitors of all ages from every corner of the planet. It contains information in English, Russian and Chinese.

The portal plays an important role in raising potential tourists’ awareness of what Moscow has to offer. In addition to useful information, the mobile app includes an interactive map for real-time tracking of movements in the city and displays cultural and historical sites located nearby.

Russpass
Russpass is a smart digital platform for tourists to find their way around the city and will be launched in 2020. It enables visitors to choose a route across the city designed by Moscow buffs, or to make their own individual travel plan, as well as to take advantage of simplified entry into the country.

For drawing up individual travel plans, Russpass offers tourists a marketplace with a wide range of sights and activities. After selecting the preferred sights, a smart navigation system will draw up the optimal route for the tourist, taking into account one’s interests.

Russpass provides a wide variety of urban services designed to make the tourist’s stay a memorable and comfortable experience. Desired options can be selected in the user’s personal account by saving the settings on a virtual map of Moscow.