The Russians are coming – They hope.
Benidorm will host the 13th Annual Congress of Natalie Tours, the leading tour operator for Russian tourists in Spain. The event will bring together leading professionals from the tour operator sector. The choice of Benidorm offers a unique opportunity to promote the Region of Valencia and boost congress tourism, a segment of strategic interest that helps to deseasonalise tourism and attracts clients characterised by their higher purchasing power.
According to data from the Region of Valencia Ministry of Tourism, Russia is the fastest-growing outgoing tourist market in Europe and the third in the world, behind China and India. Russian tourism in Spain has grown over the last four years (2004-2007) with increases five times higher than the total number of international tourists recorded in Spain.
Over 541,174 Russian tourists visited Spain in 2008, of which 4% chose the Region of Valencia as their holiday destination. This means that 19,576 Russian tourists visited the Region of Valencia, a figure that places Valencia as the sixth most popular Spanish destination for Russian tourism, behind Andalusia, Catalonia, Madrid, The Canaries and the Balearic Islands.
