The Alanya stand is dazzling visitors in Moscow.

The MITT Moskova Fair, one of the world's leading travel and hospitality events, has opened its doors in Moscow, the capital of Russia. Alanya, Turkey's tourism paradise, is hosting its guests at the fair.

The International MITT Tourism Fair, held this year from March 19-21, has been taking place in Moscow without interruption for the past 30 years. Recognized worldwide as an effective B2B event for travel and hospitality companies, MITT attracts a large audience of travel industry representatives from Russia and all over the world each year. At the fair, which featured 909 companies and organizations from 30 countries, Alanya had its own special stand. Mehmet Dahaoğlu, Vice President of the Alanya Tourism Promotion Foundation (ALTAV) and the Alanya Tourism Operators Association (ALTİD), who represented Alanya at the fair, which lasted for 3 days, stated that there was a high volume of visitors to the stand throughout the day. Among those who visited the Alanya stand was the Ambassador of Turkey to Moscow, Tanju Bilgiç.

Alanya Attracts Attention at the Moscow Trade Fair

Dahaoğlu, who provided information about the fair held in Moscow, an important tourism market for Alanya, said, "Our stand, specially designed for the Moscow Fair, has made Alanya the most popular stand this year from the first day. Our stand, with its modern and impressive design, is prepared to best represent Alanya visually, and also includes all the necessary content. We are happy to see that our visitors are expressing their appreciation. The Moscow fair is quite busy for us. The interest in the Alanya stand, and the queues forming in front of the stand to get information, are encouraging. This year, the most noteworthy aspect of the MITT Moscow Fair is the absence of major tour operators such as Anex Tour, Tez Tour, Coral Travel, Biblo Globus, and Pegas. This situation is truly regrettable, as many local agency representatives are disappointed because they cannot meet with the tour operators to make agreements. Major tour operators, on the other hand, prefer to hold workshops with hoteliers before and after the fair. Despite the support from our Ministry, no one can understand why they are not participating. For such fairs to be more vibrant and sustainable, it is possible only with the support of all parties. We invite major tour operators to work together at the fair. When we look at the figures, Turkey is always the preferred destination for Russians, and I think it will continue to be so."

"Russians in the Mediterranean Want Alanya."

Dahaoğlu, noting that Alanya is the most popular destination among visitors to the fair within the Mediterranean region, stated, "What I observed at the fair, and what makes us very happy for Alanya, is that visitors are asking about Alanya first among all Mediterranean destinations. This year, Russians continue to prefer Alanya due to its recognition throughout the country, as well as its prices and the advantages of the city. Our Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, told us during our meeting at the ITB Berlin Fair that Germans are currently in first place. However, based on the interest we saw at the MITT Moscow Fair and the discussions we had, I believe this will change. As in previous years, with last-minute sales, Russia will likely be among the countries that prefer Turkey the most, taking first place."

"WE WILL ACHIEVE POSITIVE GROWTH IN THE RUSSIAN MARKET"

Mehmet Dahaoğlu, speaking about his meetings at the fair, stated: "One of the significant problems with this market is the need for technical support and equipment supply to allow aircraft to operate. Unfortunately, due to sanctions imposed by Europe and America, the necessary maintenance cannot be performed on these aircraft, which is causing major problems. We hope that this issue will be resolved as soon as possible, and the aircraft will return to the skies. On the other hand, in our meetings with local tour operators and agency representatives, the issue of a potential decrease in people's purchasing power due to the economic difficulties in Russia and the expected change in the exchange rate of the ruble following the recent elections was discussed. Furthermore, the fact that Putin received a record number of votes, 87% of the public, in the elections and was re-elected as president demonstrates the public's support for government policy, which indicates that the war is unlikely to end easily. However, despite these assessments, our confidence in the sector remains strong. As in every year, we believe that we will achieve positive momentum in the Russian market, and that the demand from holidaymakers will continue to increase."

Tourism professionals attending the fair will return after three days of meetings, bringing with them their forecasts for the 2024 season.