New sectors of MITT 2024 Show
Caravanning, Glamping, Health & medical tourism, Adventure tourism, Hotel equipment & cleaning will be presented at the largest industry exhibition MITT 2024
Our world is changing rapidly and the tourism sector must keep up with the pace of change or risk losing a significant part of its target audience. And now we can say that the transformation of the Russian tourism market has been largely successful. It can be seen in the sectors of MITT, the largest industry exhibition in Russia.
Comparing the preferences of Russian tourists in 2019 and 2023, there are two very different cases. In 2019, a Russian tourist preferred an all-inclusive holiday at the seaside of a European country. His or her alter ego in 2023 prefers an active holiday in the motherland, in an unusual place and with an interesting programme. In addition, domestic medical tourism has become popular: visiting various spas with medical services, health centres and, of course, the legendary trips to mineral water resorts (it should be noted that this tradition dates back to the XIX century). At the same time, the tourist of 2023 is no less appreciative of comfort and convenience. That is why we have introduced five new sectors at MITT 2023: Glamping, Adventure tourism, Health and Medical Tourism, HoReCa и HoReCa Cleaning.
MITT 2024 New Sectors
Caravanning. It seems that Russia is an ideal country for caravanning thanks to its enormous length. For example, you can cross several climate zones in one day and travel from the subtropics to the taiga. However, the caravanning infrastructure in Russia country is not so developed yet: Russia has about 300 equipped caravanning sites, while the USA there are several thousand. At the same time, the Russian authorities have paid considerable attention to the car tourism in recent years: in particular, the Russian President ordered in May 2023 to work out a concept for the further development of this area. It is worth noting that such projects take an integrated approach to infrastructure development. The new wide and high-speed roads will allow tourists to reach previously inaccessible attractions, and the creation of rest areas with all utilities will enhance the attractiveness of caravanning. With this in mind, we can expect to see increased interest in this sort of car travel in the coming years. The Russian motorhome market is still in the process of forming. The majority of second-hand foreign models are now available. Therefore, participation in MITT 2024 is a great opportunity for motorhome manufacturers and tour operators to present their products and services to the target audience. For campground owners it is a great opportunity to promote themselves and find new partners (including tour operators, material suppliers and construction companies).
Glamping. This type of holiday became popular in the late 2010s and early 2020s. This is a full outdoor holiday in a comfortable hotel. Glamping have two main features: high level of comfort (bathroom, furnishings, high quality of service, various extras for recreation such as baths, saunas, spas and other similar facilities) and a great outdoor location. The most common types of glamping are quick-assembly frame houses, tents or spheres.
Experts say that glamping is one of the most perspective forms of tourism, thanks to its combination of comfortable accommodation and location in uniquely beautiful places. This makes glamping a highly attractive choice for those seeking solitude in the wilderness and a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. It is worth noting the rapid growth in the sector: the Russian Glamping Association reported 386 such facilities in Russia as of June 2023, with 50 to 80 more will be opened by the end of August. Meanwhile, analysts at Commonwealth Partnership predict a 30 per cent annual growth in glamping supply. The glamping industry can also be boosted by the car tourism development. The new roads will help tourists to discover previously hard-to-reach natural attractions. In addition, unlike hotels and guesthouses, glamping sites can be built in protected areas.
In recognition of this dynamic development, MITT 2024 will feature a special Glamping sector. Glamping operators, designers and developers of houses, tents, bathhouses and saunas, manufacturers of bedding, furniture and sanitary ware, as well as interior designers will participate in the exhibition and present their current projects and products to potential buyers. It is worth noting that 22% (3,284 people) of the total number of unique visitors were interested in glamping at MITT 2023, which took place in March 2023.
Health and Medical Tourism. Over the past 10-15 years spas with medical services and health care centres in Russia and the former CIS countries have changed to beyond recognition. Now they are modern recreational facilities, where you can not only recover your health under the supervision of medical professionals, but also have a full rest. Statistics also confirm this: in 2021-2022, more than 7 million foreigners (80 per cent of them from CIS countries) visited Russia for medical services. Moreover, in 2022 Russia ranked among 41 countries included in the international Medical Tourism Index.
It is worth noting that the MITT 2023 featured facilities not only from Russian regions (Tatarstan, Altai Krai, Altai Republic), but also from Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan. It is worth mentioning that the Health and Medical Tourism sector was of interest to 18% (2,726 people) of the total visitors of the exposition. There were not only tourists, but also representatives of travel agencies and tour operators.
Adventure tourism. Adventure tours first appeared in Russia about 7-10 years ago, and now they are one of the most perspective trends. Modern tourists are tired of trivial and standard routes, and creating a route on their own takes a lot of time, including time to study the peculiarities of a particular place. Therefore, there is a demand for comfortable tours with an exciting and extraordinary programme. This segment is growing by at least 15% a year. The most popular destinations are Dagestan, Altai, the Far East, Karelia and the Murmansk Oblast. MITT is a great opportunity for the organisers of designer tours to promote themselves, talk about their successes and find new partners and clients. Nevertheless, a third (33%) of the unique visitors to MITT (4,944 people) are individual travellers.
Hotel equipment and cleaning. Modern tourists are very demanding when it comes to the quality of facilities in hotels and other accommodation. This applies not only to the interior and furniture, but also to the quality of services (including cleaning). The MITT 2023 statistics show the demand for this segment: 20% of unique visitors were interested in the Hotel equipment and cleaning sector. Suppliers of materials and equipment, cleaning companies, architectural offices, suppliers of IT solutions (facility management systems, digital services for guests) and security systems (fire protection, video surveillance, leakage and short-circuit protection) were represented.
MITT 2024 opportunities
A survey of MITT exhibitors shows that 98% of companies consider participation in the event important for business development, and 96% are satisfied with their participation. This confirms the importance of MITT as a key industry event.
Participating in the MITT exhibition helps you to address several key business challenges at once. First and foremost is the search for new partners and market segments. 14,830 professionals from the Russian Federation and 54 other countries visited MITT 2023. Two-thirds (67%) of visitors have some influence on the decision-making process. 59% of participants found new business partners and clients directly at the venue. In addition, attendees can meet leading industry experts, learn about products from market leaders and new perspective products, as well as emphasize status.
