Moscow Strengthens Ties with Middle East at MALT Congress 2026, Showcasing Luxury and M.I.C.E. Tourism

The Moscow City Tourism Committee has officially confirmed its role as a Destination Partner for the upcoming 14th Annual Meetings Arabia & Luxury Travel (MALT) Congress 2026. The event, scheduled for February 11-12, 2026, will take place at The St. Regis Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This highly anticipated congress serves as a leading platform for the global corporate, luxury, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) travel industries, drawing together influential decision-makers shaping the future of these sectors.

In its 14th year, MALT Congress has evolved into an invitation-only, outcome-focused event that prioritizes meaningful business connections over general visibility. This highly curated platform brings together executives and leaders from travel agencies, private luxury travel firms, and corporate sectors, including those in senior roles such as Founders, CEOs, and Managing Directors. These senior figures from across the Middle East will engage with key stakeholders from global destinations, luxury hotels, destination management companies (DMCs), and travel technology providers.

MALT Congress: A Key Event for Strategic Engagement

Over the years, MALT Congress has emerged as an essential gathering for cultivating long-term business partnerships. With its exclusive and structured environment, the congress fosters one-to-one meetings, panel discussions, and curated networking sessions, offering valuable opportunities for participants to engage in high-level dialogue. This focused approach has made MALT an indispensable platform for senior decision-makers in the luxury and MICE travel sectors.

Moscow’s participation in MALT Congress 2026 underscores the city’s growing focus on the Middle East market. As the city strengthens its position as a top-tier destination for luxury and business tourism, participating in MALT offers Moscow an opportunity to connect with key buyers and industry leaders from the GCC region. Through these meaningful engagements, Moscow aims to build valuable relationships and increase awareness of its tourism offerings.

Moscow’s Expanding Influence in the Middle East Tourism Market

The Middle East has become an increasingly important market for Moscow, with growing interest from leisure, luxury, and business travellers. Recent figures indicate that Moscow saw an 18% year-on-year rise in the number of visitors from Saudi Arabia alone, with over 43,000 travellers from the Kingdom arriving in the first nine months of 2025. These numbers highlight the growing demand for Moscow as a destination for both leisure and business tourism from the GCC region.

The Moscow City Tourism Committee is focused on expanding its presence in the Middle East by emphasizing luxury tourism and MICE travel. The city’s combination of rich cultural offerings, world-class infrastructure, and vibrant business environment positions it as an ideal destination for high-end travellers. Moscow’s strong appeal for business events, coupled with its expanding network of luxury hotels and attractions, makes it a key player in the GCC tourism landscape.

Moscow at MALT 2026: A Comprehensive Destination for All Types of Visitors

At MALT 2026, Moscow will showcase its versatility as a tourism destination, offering a range of experiences tailored to different types of visitors. The city is particularly keen to highlight its strengths in catering to multi-generational travel, offering experiences that can be personalized for different visitor profiles, from business travellers to cultural enthusiasts. Moscow’s wealth of attractions, from historical landmarks to modern business venues, makes it a unique destination that can meet the diverse needs of its visitors.

Moscow will also participate in the panel discussion titled “Smart Travel for a Multi-Gen World,” where the city will share insights into its approach to personalizing travel propositions. With a growing number of multi-generational families seeking diverse and enriching experiences, Moscow offers a variety of options for travellers of all ages, including family-friendly activities, cultural tours, and high-end business services.

Moscow’s Strength in Bleisure Travel

As the travel industry adapts to changing trends, Moscow is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for “bleisure” travel—a blend of business and leisure. This emerging trend sees business trips combining meetings with cultural, culinary, and recreational experiences, and Moscow is an ideal location for such experiences. The city offers more than 150 unique venues, including museums, theatres, historical estates, and urban landmarks, that cater to both business events and leisure activities.

Moscow’s infrastructure, including its international airport connectivity, makes it an accessible destination for business travellers who are increasingly looking to extend their trips for leisure. The city’s vibrant cultural scene, culinary offerings, and entertainment options ensure that visitors can seamlessly transition from business meetings to relaxation, making it a prime destination for bleisure travellers.

Insights into Moscow’s MICE Expertise

Moscow’s expertise in hosting large-scale international events will also be on full display at MALT 2026. The city has established itself as a hub for MICE tourism, with a strong track record of hosting major events such as the Meet Global MICE Congress (MGMC), one of the world’s largest MICE platforms. Moscow’s ability to manage and execute large-scale events, welcoming thousands of professionals from around the globe, demonstrates its capacity to handle the logistics and demands of high-profile international conferences and conventions.

At MALT, Moscow will share valuable insights and practical advice on how it successfully hosts multicultural events, offering guidance for other destinations looking to expand their MICE offerings. This focus on sharing best practices and lessons learned from successful events further cements Moscow’s status as a leading MICE destination.

MALT as a Long-Term Strategic Platform for Moscow

Looking to the future, Moscow City Tourism Committee sees MALT as an essential platform for long-term collaboration with the GCC region. The city is committed to strengthening its relationship with key decision-makers and continuing its efforts to position itself as a global hub for international meetings, conferences, and events.

Through MALT, Moscow aims to foster deeper connections with GCC travel professionals, tourism operators, and event planners, building partnerships that will drive the city’s tourism growth in the region. Moscow’s long-term goal is to continue expanding its luxury and MICE tourism sectors, ensuring it remains a top destination for high-end business and leisure travellers.

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Ireland’s Cork Sets Ambitious Tourism Growth Targets with New International Promotions, Sustainability Initiatives, and Business Events

Tourism in Cork is set for a major boost, thanks to a series of exciting plans shared by Visit Cork at their annual Tourism Industry Day. The event, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa in Little Island, brought together over 150 tourism and hospitality professionals. The main focus of the event was on expanding Cork’s international presence, promoting sustainability, improving accessibility, and attracting more business events, all aiming for a growth of 8-10% in visitor numbers by 2026.

This move comes at a crucial time for Cork’s tourism sector, which currently supports one in ten jobs in the region, providing work for around 22,500 people. With tourism playing such a vital role in the local economy, Visit Cork is taking proactive steps to keep the sector thriving. The strategy involves tapping into new international markets while also strengthening relationships with established ones, all in an effort to make Cork an even more appealing destination for visitors from around the world.

Expanding International Market Presence

One of the key components of Visit Cork’s plan is the expansion of promotional activities in several international markets, with particular focus on Germany and Canada. These markets have been identified as high potential for Cork’s tourism growth. Germany, in particular, has been earmarked for an increase in marketing activity, a move aimed at attracting more visitors from one of Europe’s most important tourism source countries.

Alongside Germany, Canada is also being targeted as a priority market from 2026. The Canadian market’s proximity, strong cultural ties, and growing middle class make it an ideal source of new visitors. Visit Cork is also continuing to focus on traditional key markets such as the US, UK, Spain, France, and the Netherlands, all of which have consistently provided a solid flow of tourists to the region.

To facilitate this expansion, an increase in frequency for the Frankfurt-Cork air service has been announced for the summer of 2026. This move is expected to enhance accessibility from Germany, reinforcing Cork’s position as a valuable destination for European travellers.

Fostering Immersive Experiences and Business Tourism

Beyond international marketing, Visit Cork is placing significant emphasis on creating immersive tourism experiences. The county’s rich history, diverse landscapes, and vibrant food scene are key components of the region’s appeal. Cork’s food tourism offerings are expected to be a major draw, as the region is renowned for its high-quality produce, from artisan cheeses to craft beers and fresh seafood.

Additionally, the development of the night-time economy and dynamic packaging of local attractions and accommodations are part of Visit Cork’s strategy to increase overnight stays and extend the duration of visits. These efforts are aimed at not only bringing more tourists to Cork but also encouraging them to stay longer, thus boosting the local economy.

Business tourism is another area where Cork has been performing exceptionally well. The Cork Convention Bureau has been instrumental in positioning the city as a top destination for international conferences. Since its inception, the Cork Convention Bureau has generated an estimated €150 million for the local economy through business events. Cork has become a hub for international association conferences, particularly in sectors where the city has global strengths, such as food, agritech, STEM, space, and maritime industries.

To further build on this success, the Cork Convention Bureau’s Conference Ambassador Programme has been an essential tool. This initiative encourages local experts to bid for international conferences, helping to establish Cork’s reputation as a world-class conference destination.

Sustainability and Accessibility: Cornerstones of Future Growth

Sustainability and accessibility have been central themes in Visit Cork’s strategic plans for the future. Cork has made impressive strides in sustainable tourism, ranking 20th globally on the Global Destination Sustainability Index and second among cities of similar size. This achievement is a testament to the region’s ongoing efforts to create a tourism model that is both environmentally responsible and economically viable.

To celebrate and encourage continued sustainability within the tourism sector, the Visit Cork Green Award 2026 was launched. This award is open to all tourism businesses, including hotels, restaurants, and tour operators, with a focus on environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and innovation. The award highlights leaders in the sector who are making a significant impact through sustainable practices and community engagement.

As part of Visit Cork’s commitment to sustainability, tourism businesses across the county are being encouraged to develop and promote evening and off-peak experiences. These initiatives aim to attract visitors during quieter times, spreading tourism benefits throughout the year and reducing the pressure on popular attractions.

Marketing Cork as an Experience-Rich Destination

Pure Cork, the regional tourism brand, will be launching a new marketing campaign in 2026 aimed at positioning the destination as an experience-rich location. This campaign will focus on Cork’s strengths in food tourism, adventure activities, and cultural experiences. The initiative encourages local tourism businesses to collaborate and create sellable packages that will appeal to both domestic and international visitors.

One of the key focuses of the new campaign will be highlighting Cork’s unique positioning within Ireland’s broader tourism offering. The county sits at the intersection of Ireland’s Ancient East, the Wild Atlantic Way, and Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, giving it a unique appeal for visitors interested in exploring the rich culture and stunning landscapes of the Emerald Isle.

Long-Term Impact on the Economy

The tourism sector’s ongoing growth is crucial for Cork’s economy. Tourism expenditure has a significant impact, with every €1 million spent by tourists supporting around 20 tourism jobs. Furthermore, for every euro spent by a visitor, approximately 29 cents is returned to the Exchequer due to the wider economic benefits. As such, tourism continues to be one of the most important economic drivers for both Cork and the wider region.

Tourism professionals were also briefed on the potential for regenerative tourism, which aims to support local communities, enhance biodiversity, and build long-term resilience for the destination. This approach to tourism not only benefits visitors but also ensures that future generations can continue to enjoy Cork’s natural beauty and cultural heritage.

A Bright Future for Cork’s Tourism

Visit Cork’s annual Tourism Industry Day truly highlighted the region’s dedication to growing and evolving its tourism industry. With a clear focus on strategic initiatives like boosting international marketing, promoting sustainability, creating immersive experiences, and attracting more business events, Cork is in a strong position to meet its ambitious growth goals. By expanding its reach into new overseas markets, encouraging local tourism partnerships, and staying committed to sustainable practices, Cork is on track to become an even more appealing destination for visitors from all over the world in the years ahead.

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