Russian tourism

Russian visitor numbers to Catalonia are expected to flatten in 2014.

From 15 to 22 March, the Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board attended two of Moscow’s biggest tourism trade fairs, Intourmarket and Mitt, to present the wide range of options for tourists visiting Girona province in the 2014 holiday season. The event took place against a backdrop of underlying social and political tension between Europe and Russia affected by the conflict with Ukraine and by the weak rouble. At the Intourmarket trade fair, which took place from 15 to 18 March, the Tourism Board promoted the attractions of the tourist destinations in the southern Costa Brava included in the operator’s programme from the stand of the Coral Travel tour operator, which brought some 30,000 tourists to the Costa Brava in 2013. At the Mitt trade fair, held from 19 to 22 March, the Board showcased the Costa Brava and Pirineu de Girona brands from the Catalonia stand, managed by the Government of Catalonia’s Catalan Tourist Board. The Tourism Board was accompanied by representatives of the municipalities of Lloret de Mar and Castell-Platja d’Aro and of a number of tourism companies (Rigat Park Hotel, Alva Park, Playas Lloret and Costa Brava Dreams) who presented their new attractions for the 2014 season and the prices of their products and services. The events and meetings held with Russian operators at the two trade fairs led us to believe that the Russian market for tourism to Catalonia will flatten off in 2014. Factors affecting tourist numbers include the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the weakening rouble and the threat that the European Union will impose visa restrictions. However, countries such as Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan or Belarus will become new potential markets for the Costa Brava once the administration of visas is made easier.