Prodexpo 2019: gastronomic tourism as promising area

12 / 02 / 2019

The round table on Russian Hospitality has taken place at Expocentre as part of the supporting program of the Prodexpo 2019 international exhibition for the second year in a row. The event dedicated to the development of gastronomic tourism in our country was organised by the Federal Tourism Agency (Rostourism), the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Russian State University of Tourism and Services Studies (RSUTS), and Expocentre AO.

The meeting was moderated by the Director of the Exhibition, Fair and Convention Department of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Igor Korotin, and RSUTS Rector Alexander Fedulin.

Vice-President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Dmitriyev said in his greetings to the round table participants that gastronomic tourism is “a major driver expanding the potential of domestic and outbound tourism which is becoming increasingly important.” Many regions of the country are organising gastronomic tourism clusters which attract numerous Russian and foreign tourists, he said. These include the Nizhny Novgorod, Tver, Vologda, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Oryol, Moscow, and Tula regions.

Expocentre Deputy Director General Vladimir Gubernatorov told the audience about cooperation between Expocentre AO and territorial chambers of commerce and industry in promotion of quality food produced in regions via the Prodexpo exhibition to popularise and develop gastronomic tourism.

In his words, Expocentre launched a cooperation program based on agreements with territorial chambers of commerce and industry a year ago to broaden the ability of regional business and producers to participate in international exhibitions organised by Expocentre. Vladimir Gubernatorov also noted that tourism was present at both Prodexpo and other major exhibitions of Expocentre, such as the Russian Health Care Week which presented medical and health resort tourism options.

In turn, Rostourism Department Head Yevgeny Kudelya cited information of the World Tourism Organization, according to which a third of world tourists view national cuisine as an important incentive for traveling. Practically every region of Russia has unique dishes cooked of local produce, and this trend opens broad vistas for consolidating efforts of tourist and food industries. He underlined the significance of the Prodexpo exhibition as “a leading business event of the food industry and agriculture.”

Regional representatives shared their experience of promoting gastronomic brands on the tourist market at the round table.

In the end of the round table, the results of the Taste Experience 2018 professional contest were summarized and winners were presented with awards.

The Prodexpo official website: https://www.prod-expo.ru/en/

 

Press Service, Expocentre AO

 

 


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