Amid an ever-growing number of Russian visitors to Sharjah, the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is further boosting its presence in Russia’s tourism sector following the surge in tourist arrivals to the emirate which reached 392, 691 in 2018. SCTDA is promoting the emirate’s leading attractions through its 20th year of participation at the Moscow International Travel and Tourism Exhibition (MITT) 2019, taking place from March 12 to 14, 2019 at Expo Centre Fairground.

Since the UAE eased entry visa rules for tourists, there has been a surge in numbers of Russian visitors to the emirate. In line with these trends, SCTDA is leveraging the event’s popularity to highlight the emirate’s local culture and distinct leisure activities to enhance the emirate’s brand and profile in major markets and cities worldwide in line with its vision to attract 10 million tourists by 2021.

The heritage and culture of Sharjah and the UAE was a central focus at MITT 2018, with multiple regional and international institutions repeatedly selecting the emirate as one of the country’s most prominent cultural hubs and a symbol of civilization. MITT 2019 marks the 26th anniversary of the event with 1,799 companies taking part in the exhibitions and the number of visitors from around the world expected to exceed 25,000.

H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, SCTDA, said: “MITT will once again provide SCTDA with a global platform to showcase the emirate’s promotional plans to enhance its position as a leading family tourist destination and attract 10 million tourists by 2021 based on the objective of Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021. We are adopting an integrated promotional strategy aimed at diversifying and promoting all local facilities and tourist sites to reinforce Sharjah’s status as a favorite location for families and renowned international events and festivals throughout the year. We look forward to strengthening our relations with our Russian travel and tourism partners and agencies to enable us to gain wider access to the country and key European markets.”

H.E. added: “Our records show that the Russian market is keener than ever to visit Sharjah, so this is an ideal time for us to ensure that the emirate is well-represented in the ongoing exhibitions here in Moscow. Expanding our presence in existing markets through partnerships with key Russian travel players is of extreme significance to us and we are constantly designing and developing strategic initiatives to enhance the travel experience for these sectors and visitors.”

This year, SCTDA is focusing on eco-tourism products, outdoor activities and branded hotels operating in the emirate to promote Sharjah as an ideal regional and global family-friendly destination.

Sharjah’s delegation at the exhibition includes Sharjah International Airport; Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA); Sharjah Airport Travel Agency (SATA); Air Arabia; Sharjah Collection; Coral Beach Resort; Ramada Hotel & Suites Sharjah; Radisson Blu Resort; Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort; Copthorne Hotel Sharjah; Red Castle Hotel; Tulip Inn; Al Khalidiah Tourism LLC; and TravTalk.