The 27th OTDYKH Leisure Expo is pleased to announce that the 2021 Leisure Fair will be opening its doors in September, as national and international experts predict positive forecasts for the return of tourism this year. As anti-COVID-19 restrictions are gradually eased over the coming months, this will allow a steady increase in national and international travel, breathing new life into the global tourism industry. By December 2021, some sources predict that international travel restrictions will have been significantly lifted, allowing for major winter destinations to capitalize on the holiday season.
The Association of Tour Operators (ATOR) has indicated that by September 2021, the volume of sales in all types of tourism will correspond to the levels seen in the summer of 2017. Research done by the company Topdeck Travel identified that 93% of young people surveyed expressed that spending months in quarantine throughout the pandemic has in fact increased their desire to travel. In an emerging trend known as ‘rebound travel’, intrepid travelers are predicted to make a decisive come-back on the travel scene following months of restrictions.
In the meantime, travel operators are fast adapting and finding creative ways to accommodate safe, socially distanced travel experiences. Some companies have even turned to technology to provide online travel experiences, allowing people to participate in virtual tours or cultural activities from the comfort of their own homes. Although it is not yet possible to make concrete forecasts regarding post-pandemic tourism, by the second half of 2021, much more information will available to those in the travel industry on anti-COVID-19 restrictions and tourism trends.
In 2020 OTDYKH became the first major tourism event in Russia to open its door since the pandemic began. Despite the event being much smaller than usual, it was a huge success and received excellent reviews:
“I would especially like to note the professional event organization. The OTDYKH team managed to hold an excellent event despite these challenging times,” said Mr. Denis Ivlev, Director of “Altayturcenter.”
Over the course of three days, the 2020 26th edition of the expo featured over 260 exhibitors from 40 Russian regions, over 5,500 travel industry experts, 30 business events with over 160 Russian and international speakers. The fair organizer Euroexpo made sure to conduct the expo in a safe and professional manner, providing high standards of hygiene to prevent the spread of infection and to protect exhibitors and visitors alike.
For the first time in the history of the exhibition, organizers successfully debuted a new hybrid format, offering both real and virtual exhibition packages. Among the online services offered were lives streams of the meetings, conference sessions and presentations, which were made available to participants via the OTDYKH website and social media platforms.
This hybrid format will be enlisted for the 2021 expo, with virtual and in-person packages available, to make sure the event is accessible to all. At present, the fair is the only hybrid tourism exhibition in Moscow.
Over 35 countries and regions of Russia have already confirmed that they will be participating in the 2021 fair, including Thailand, Tunisia, Spain and Cuba, and the Russian regions of the Republics of Altai and Khakassia, Krasnodar Territory, Voronezh, Kostroma and Nizhny Novgorod.
Early bird registration is now open for the 27th edition of the OTDYKH Travel Expo, with remote and physical participation packages on offer.
The OTDYKH Leisure Fair will take place on 7-9 September 2021, at the Expocentre in Moscow, Russia.
