The Dominican Republic Confirmed as the Partner Country of the OTDYKH Leisure Moscow Fair 2020

The OTDYKH International Russian Travel Market is proud to announce that the official partner country of its 26th edition will be the Dominican Republic. The country has chosen the show as their most important and exclusive b2b exhibition platform for the Russian market.

The Dominican Republic is the most visited Caribbean destination and one of the most popular winter travel destinations among Russian travellers. This high-profile partnership will provide a fantastic opportunity for thousands of expo visitors to discover more about travel opportunities in the Dominican Republic.

Because the event is held in the autumn, the OTDYKH Leisure expo traditionally attracts a big number of the winter, long haul and exotic travel destinations, that cater to the Russian market. Hosting the expo in September allows industry experts to meet and negotiate right before the beginning of the season, and it takes place at the convenient, centrally-located venue of the “Expocenter” in Moscow.

The Head of the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic in Russia, Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus, Ms. Galina Lyssenko, made the following statement:

“OTDYKH Leisure is in high demand among Dominican Republic stand participants. The expo plays a crucial role for us considering the seasonality in the Dominican Republic. We value the support and responsiveness of the organizing team”.

Russia and the Dominican Republic have a long history of collaborating at the OTDYKH Leisure fair, as the Dominican Republic has been participating since 2002. Last year, the Ministry of Tourism for the Dominican Republic won the title of “Best exhibition stand”. Their 2019 stand included 11 co-exhibitors, among which were hotels, resorts and incoming tour operators.  This year they will have an exclusively designed 200m2 stand, which they will host with a bigger number of co-exhibitors.

The Dominican Republic is the most-visited country in the Caribbean, the most diverse, and the second largest country after Cuba. The island boasts a number of natural wonders, including some of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. Punta Cana and Bavaro are popular destinations for tourists seeking a beach escape. It also has a range of waterfalls, breath-taking coastline and the highest mountain peak in the Caribbean, Pico Duarte. Dominican specialities include cigars, rum, coffee, chocolate and the precious stones amber and larimar.

Official data shows that from January to December last year, 6,446,036 international tourists visited the country. Russia consistently ranks among the Top 10 incoming markets for the Dominican Republic and the demand for tourism offers is high. In December 2019, over 25,500 Russians visited the island, which was 3,1% higher than in the same period of 2018. These record numbers moved Russia to the first place in incoming markets from Europe, leaving Germany and France behind.

The 2020 OTDYKH Leisure Fair will be a valuable cultural exchange and a fantastic opportunity for both countries to strengthen ties in the tourism industry. It will also provide a host of spectacular business networking events, including exclusive roundtable meetings, a sales-call service, bespoke workshops and the Hosted Buyer Program. The expo is the largest tourism event in Russia and the largest autumn event in the country. Almost 15,000 industry experts participated in the 2019 expo, with 600 exhibitors from 35 countries and 41 Russian regions.

The next OTDYKH Leisure Fair will take place on 8th -10th September 2020, at the Expocentre in Moscow, Russia.