To create greater awareness about the various tourism offers that it possesses and especially those that could appeal to the Indian travellers, Saint Petersburg, also called the ‘Northern Capital’ of Russia, participated in OTM 2025, a leading travel trade fair that was recently held in Mumbai.

In a press statement, the tourism board of Saint Petersburg says that it presented the current tourist offers in details to the Indian travel agents and tour operators.

The board adds that on the first day of the exhibition, after the opening ceremony, the stand of the city was visited by the Minister of Tourism and Culture of India Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. He noted the warm friendly relations between Russia and India and the great potential for the development of further partnership, and also shared his good impressions of his trip to Saint Petersburg, which he made several years ago.

The statement adds that Saint Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, recognised as an international tourist center. In 2024, 11.6 million travellers visited the city, especially to see its unique historical centre which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors are captivated by the grand ensemble of palaces and parks, majestic cathedrals and monuments, the wealth of museums, and the vibrant cultural life.

The statement adds that however, the wide range of travelling opportunities in Saint Petersburg does not end there. Every year, the city offers fresh excursion routes that reveal the modern image of the metropolis with its creative spaces of new tourist and cultural geography. Along with this, original types of tourism are actively developing in Saint Petersburg. Travellers can visit an unusual tour of industrial facilities, spend a weekend at a health resort or make new gastronomic discoveries, says the tourism board.

According to the statement, Saint Petersburg can also be an ideal starting point for exploring other regions of Russia. It says that the project Two Cities – a Million Impressions will help to create an unusual and eventful route with visits to St Petersburg and Moscow. And for those who want to discover the beauty of the harsh northern nature and the wealth of history and culture, travelling to the regions of The Silver Necklace of Russia is a great option.

The tourism board says that another reason to visit Saint Petersburg may be a wedding celebration. Every year thousands of couples who have decided to start a family arrange their wedding holidays in the romantic atmosphere of the city which is located on the banks on the Neva River. Newlyweds are attracted by luxurious wedding palaces, magnificent architecture, beautiful hotels, restaurants with excellent cuisine, and high-quality celebration services.

According to the statement, for event organisers, the city offers unique exhibition and congress venues, hotels of different formats and categories, well developed transport links, and numerous excursion programmes. Every year, the Northern Capital of Russia hosts hundreds of different business forums, including such large-scale international events as the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, the Saint Petersburg International Cultural Forum, and the Saint Petersburg International Legal Forum. In addition, Saint Petersburg has extensive experience in organising international rotating events. For example, in 2021 the city became the capital of modern astronautics, hosting delegates of the International Conference on Space Exploration GLEX from more than 59 countries.

According to the statement, much attention is paid to service in Saint Petersburg. The city companies take into account the peculiarities of national cultural traditions of travellers, including visitors from India. It says that visitors will be pleasantly surprised by a wide range of hotels of different star rating, comfort level and price policy, as well as a variety of restaurants, many of which are firmly established in the top lists of domestic and international ratings.

The tourism board says that citizens of India and other 54 countries can obtain an electronic visa for travelling to Russia. Preparation of an electronic visa takes no more than four calendar days irrespective of weekends and holidays. To receive it, intending visitors need to fill in an application form on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, make the payment and wait for notification of the document’s readiness.