Business tourists began to travel to the Caucasus and the Far East more often

The demand for reservation for business tourists in the Far East and the North Caucasus over the year increased by 44–47%. The growth rate has significantly surpassed the average market. This is due to the active economic development of the regions, including through projects in the field of tourism and the expansion of transport infrastructure.

The number of hotel reservations of business tourists in the regions of the North Caucasus according to the results of January – who grew by 47% year by the year, the Far East – by 44%, was calculated in the service of the Islands of the Commodity. The growth of analytics is called the most pronounced among other federal districts. It also surpasses the average in the country, which was 28%. Trivio Procurement Director Alexei Ageev says that the number of business trips to the Far East in January -May increased by 50%, by 40%to the North Caucasus. Director of Marketing and Communications of the Rocket Platform Daria Lukyanova-Zubitskaya noted an increase in the number of business trips to Komsomolsk-on-Amur in January-May by 19%by the year, in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk-by 29%, in Vladikavkaz-by 17%.

The head of the Islands of the Commission, Lyubov Vasiliev, connects the growth of interest in business trips with the general economic development of macro -regions.

The partner of the practice of evaluating business and assets of the NEO consulting company Stanislav Mudrov notes that the North Caucasus now support programs for the development of tourism, agriculture and infrastructure that stimulate the influx of investment. The expert says that investments in the tourist special economic zone « Arkhyz » for 13 years amounted to 14 billion rubles, in the plans until 2030 – almost 50 billion rubles. Here are also located the resorts « Elbrus », « Vesichi », « Mamison », « Armhi and Tsori », the Caspian coastal cluster, he lists.

In total, 28 companies became residents of the Caucasian resorts over the past year. Mr. Mudrov notes that the North Caucasus Federal District is the leader in terms of profitability of tourist projects. According to the results of 2024, it reached 20.5%, while in the south and in the center of the country – about 10.5%, he says. Although industrial production in the North of the Caucasus, according to Mr. Mudrov, is now reduced. But in the regions of the North Caucasus, according to Mrs. Vasilyeva, mainly employees of trade, transport, medical, IT- and consulting companies go. The Stavropol Territory, North Ossetia and Dagestan fall into the sphere of their interests.

The Far East, according to the Ostrovka business trips, is in demand mainly among business tourists from the field of trade, industrial sector, aircraft industry, IT and consulting.

The most noticeable increase in the number of reservations, according to Mrs. Vasilieva, occurred in Yakutia: in January – May, the demand for hotels here grew by 70% year, in Transbaikalia – by 59%.

Anna Tarasenko, a consultant of the Practice of State and Social Initiatives “Rexoft Consulting” that economic activity in the macroregion began to grow sharply after the Covid-19 pandemic. The average growth rate of the gross regional product in 2020–2023 here amounted to 5% against 4.4% on average in Russia. “This is also due to significant state investments in transport infrastructure,” said Mrs. Tarasenko. The expert records the most active growth in business activity in the areas of production, logistics, construction and trade.

Stanislav Mudrov believes that the development of industry in the Far East stimulates mainly mining production. The expert also draws attention to the high rates of the development of transport infrastructure: the Artem transport and logistics center and the Elga Port coal mining center are being built. The proximity of the region to the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, according to him, is of strategic importance for developing, including cooperation with China.

If the positive trend is preserved, the business tourism markets of the North Caucasus and the Far East can show growth, despite the general decrease in development. According to the forecast of the Union of Business Tourism, the total volume of the Russian business tourism market this year may increase by 15%, while a year earlier it was about 27% (See “Kommersant” from May 20). Despite the overall growth of the interest of those sent to the North Caucasus and the Far East, their contribution to the total number of reservations remains small – 8%.

Alexandra Meretsalov