India-Russia Tourism Ties Strengthen at OTOAI's 6th Annual Convention in Moscow

The 6th Annual Convention of the Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) held between July 10-13, 2025, in Moscow was a landmark event to boost India Russia tourism partnership. Organized by the OTOAI and supported by the Moscow City Tourism Committee, the convention featured more than 200 leading Indian travel trade Russia delegates and reflected Russia's keen interest in opening its doors to more Indian tourists to Russia 2025.

Focus on Intelligent, Future-Ready Travel

Organized under the title "Fast Forward Future, The Intelligent Travel," the convention dealt with new patterns in international tourism, including intelligent travel, individualization, and the application of AI in travel industry to upgrade the travelling experience. One of the key highlights was the MoU between OTOAI and VFS Global for streamlining the Russia visa for Indian tourists a perennial obstacle in promoting outbound tourism from India.

High-Level Dialogue and Bilateral Support

Evgeniy Kozlov, Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee, and Deputy Mayor of Moscow, held fruitful talks with Indian representatives. "Moscow is interested in becoming a leading international destination for Indian tourists, with a rich combination of historical, cultural, and contemporary attractions," he said.
Anastasia Popova of the Moscow City Tourism Committee further stated, "The enhanced cooperation with India's tourism industry players is a major milestone in the strengthening of global cooperation and expanding tourist exchange."

Cultural Immersion and Iconic Site Visits

Delegates were indulged in specially curated tours of Moscow's most photographed landmarks Red Square, Zaryadye Park, and the Sun of Moscow Ferris Wheel. A specially arranged cultural add-on trip to St Petersburg presented unique experiences at the Hermitage Museum, furthering the interactive experience of cultural tourism India Russia.

Encouraging Indications for Future Development

OTOAI President Himanshu Patil declared the convention a grand success with more than 1,750 B2B meetings that developed custom-made winter tourism packages Russia for the 2025-26 season. He stressed the city's inherent combination of history and new infrastructure, which made it extremely attractive to Indian tourists.
Shravan Bhalla, Convention Chairman, emphasized priority themes like safety standards, diversity of destinations, and innovation through smart tourism innovations
as steps to achieve synchronization with the changing tastes of contemporary tourists.

Enhanced Air Connectivities and Long-Term Vision

With improved air linkages between Russia and India, the industry captains were of the view that organized partnerships such as the OTOAI Moscow convention 2025 open up avenues for long-term growth in India Russia travel cooperation, higher yields of visitors, and greater cultural exchange between the two countries.