KONTAN.CO.ID - MOSCOW. Meet Global MICE Congress 2025 officially opened in Moscow on December 17, 2025, recording a successful first day. Held at the World Trade Center Moscow, the prestigious event immediately underscored Moscow’s ambition to strengthen its position as one of the emerging epicenters of the global Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) industry. The congress brought together more than 2,500 participants, 130 exhibitors, and 200 hosted buyers, and featured over 60 speakers from 35 countries. The program was carefully curated with more than 15 dedicated business sessions, held under the main theme “Unity through Open Diversity: New Opportunities for Global Growth.” Hundreds of industry players, policymakers, and MICE planners from various countries gathered to discuss the future direction of global business tourism amid ongoing economic challenges.
Discussions on the first day focused on strengthening collaboration between government institutions and the private sector, including the development of intergovernmental projects seen as key drivers of cross-regional MICE industry growth. This year’s edition placed special emphasis on cooperation between Moscow and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, reflecting the growing role of Gulf countries in international business travel flows and global tourism investment.
Read Also: Bank Indonesia Keeps Rates Steady, Focuses on Rupiah Stability The strong opening of Meet Global MICE Congress 2025 also highlighted the significant contribution of business tourism to Moscow’s economy. In 2024, Moscow's budget revenues from tourism amounted to 235 billion rubles. According to the Moscow tourism development program, it is expected that in 2030 the contribution of tourism to the city budget will amount to 500 billion rubles. According to Evgeny Kozlov, Chairman of The Moscow City Tourism Committee, approximately 20% of visitors to Moscow are currently business travelers, who typically spend significantly more than leisure tourists. “At present, one out of every five visitors—around 20%—comes to Moscow for business purposes. On average, business travelers spend far more than leisure tourists, and the gap is quite substantial,” Kozlov told KONTAN and four other international journalists on Wednesday (December 17, 2025). To increase the share of business travelers, the city government is implementing a comprehensive strategy that includes the development of new business tourism infrastructure, the expansion of exhibition and business districts at the National Exhibition Complex VDNH (Vystavka Dostizheniy Narodnogo Hozyaystva), and the construction of hotels specifically targeting the business segment. “In addition, Moscow is actively promoting itself in global markets by uniting all stakeholders in business tourism into a single integrated community to strengthen international competitiveness,” he added.
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On the same occasion, Moscow reaffirmed its positioning as a leading Global MICE hub, offering strategic advantages that distinguish it from competing destinations such as Dubai, Riyadh, and Singapore. The strategy is built on a unique blend of rich cultural heritage and a forward-looking vision, positioning Moscow as not only a historic city but also a modern and adaptive metropolis. “The city government considers Moscow to be one of the best cities in the world—a claim supported by high levels of safety, urban comfort, extensive green spaces, and a smart, intellectually driven character,” Kozlov said. He added that Moscow’s uniqueness also lies in its ability to integrate multiple historical eras into modern tourism services, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in public transportation systems and CCTV-based security infrastructure.
These elements are combined with robust tourism infrastructure, a welcoming society, and professionally designed tourism services, creating a comprehensive and competitive MICE destination package for global event organizers. As a note, Meet Global MICE Congress 2025 will conclude on Thursday (December 18, 2025). On the second day, the agenda includes discussions on global trends, market analytic, destination marketing, incentive travel, business strategies, and advanced technologies. The Congress builds on the success of last year’s BRICS Edition, which attracted more than 1,300 industry professionals from 17 countries, including Brazil, India, and China. Looking ahead, Moscow aims to welcome 52 million tourists annually by 2030, with approximately 15% (around 8 million) coming from the business travel segment.
