The 26th edition of OTDYKH Leisure 2020 took place as scheduled from September 8th — 10th in Skolkovo Innovation Center.
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A new hybrid format including real and virtual exhibition successfully debuted for the first time
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OTDYKH LISURE 2020 featured more than 260 exhibitors from 40 Russian regions; over 5.500 travel industry experts; 30 business events with over 160 Russian and international speakers.
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Republic of Bulgaria is being featured as the show's official Partner Country
After months of stringent measures of the international community to prevent the spread of Covid-19, and the restrictions caused by “lock downs” and isolation, the OTDYKH exhibition became the first tourism event in Russia and eventually worldwide to reopen its door to travel industry professionals. The fair organiser Euroexpo provided the high level of hygiene and infection protection standards to ensure the safety of the exhibitors and visitors.
Over the course of three days more than 260 exhibitors from 40 Russian regions showcased their products and services to over 5.500 travel industry experts. Due to travel restrictions and closed borders, the focus of the 26th edition was domestic tourism with far fewer international exhibitors usually featured at Russia’s leading autumn travel event. Long-time contributors to the OTDYKH Leisure Trade — Bulgaria, China, Cuba and Spain participate in the fair with exclusive stands.
A new hybrid format of the exhibition successfully debuted for the first time. OTDYKH 2020 combined both real and virtual exhibition. The online exhibition included a series of online services such as live stream of meetings, conference sessions, presentations on the exhibition website and social media platforms.
Republic of Bulgaria is being featured as the show's official Partner Country. Russian Republic of Komi became a Partner Region. Moscow has been announced as a Partner City. Other official partners of OTDYKH 2020 included Kaluga Region, the Hotel Rosso Riva 4*, Tari Tour group of companies, Wine Roads of the Bosporus Kingdom, BigSkolkovoTour as well as STELMAS mineral water.
The exhibition was officially endorsed by the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Culture, the Federal Agency for Tourism, the Russian Union of the Travel Industry and the Russian Association of Tour Operators.
The opening ceremony of the expo was attended by an official delegation, headed by the Head of the Federal Agency for Tourism, Ms. Zarina Doguzova. Other esteemed guests included Ms. Mariyana Nikolova, Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria in charge of Economic and Demographic Policy and Minister of Tourism; Mr. Vladimir Dmitriev, Vice President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation; Mr. Sergey Korneyev, Chairman of the St. Petersburg Committee for Tourism Development etc.
The OTDYKH Leisure Fair 2020 featured a comprehensive business program, comprised of 30 business events with over 160 Russian and international speakers. Talks centered on recovery of tourism. Industry leaders provided vulnerable recommendations on how to rebuild tourism in the wake of disaster and to turn challenges into opportunities.
Despite that tourism flows remain shut down, heads of international tourism boards revealed promising outlook for return of tourists to their countries. During the roundtable discussions, heads of tourism boards of Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Republic of Cuba, Korea, Germany, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Croatia and Sharjah presented their recovery and adaptations measures to new challenging reality.
OTDYKH 2020 received positive feedback from both exhibitors and visitors. The expo presented a unique and unmissable opportunity to meet face to face with partners and clients. Exhibitors reported a very high percentage of professional visitors, informative conference sessions and productive meetings with partner and clients.
The next OTDYKH Leisure Fair will take place on 7-9 September 2021, at the Expocentre in Moscow, Russia.
13.10.2020