Mumbai: Maharashtra Tourism is aiming at enhancing tourism cooperation with Russia with a special focus on St. Petersburg to expand international visitor arrivals and capitalising on shifting global travel trends. Officials from Maharashtra's Directorate of Tourism and the Consulate General of the Russian Federation held a meeting on Friday to discuss a multi-pronged push for bilateral tourism cooperation.
At the heart of the bilateral discussion was a proposal to launch direct air service connecting Mumbai (BOM) with St. Petersburg (LED). Currently, travelers between the two commercial hubs rely on connecting flights via Middle Eastern or regional hubs. Official delegates noted that a point-to-point air corridor would not only cut travel times significantly but also unlock fresh avenues for trade, cross-border investment, and hospitality sector development in both regions.
Representing the Russian Federation, Vice Consuls Matvei Fetisov and Vladislav Morozov highlighted a pronounced shift in Russian outbound travel preferences toward Asian destinations. They pitched St. Petersburg – renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage architecture, the Hermitage Museum, and performing arts – as a prime cultural gateway for Indian outbound travelers. In turn, Russian officials identified India – and Maharashtra in particular – as an increasingly strategic growth market for incoming Russian tourists seeking diverse heritage, coastal, and leisure destinations.
A high-level delegation from St. Petersburg is scheduled to visit Mumbai in September 2026 to host a dedicated destination showcase for Indian tour operators and travel trade media. The meeting also laid the groundwork for celebrating 60 years of the historic Mumbai–St. Petersburg sister city partnership, established in 1967.
Maharashtra's tourism director Mangesh Joshi said, "Maharashtra Tourism is committed to expanding Maharashtra's global tourism partnerships through sustained Government-to-Government engagement. We welcome the proposals put forward by the Russian delegation and look forward to working together on initiatives such as destination promotion, improved air connectivity, and tourism exchanges."
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