Bleisure Travel: The New Trend in Business Tourism!

Types of Business Trips

• M — meetings. Corporate meetings, negotiations, and presentations attended by one or several top managers of a company. Such trips can take the form of business leisure, where work is combined with relaxation.
• I — incentives. Incentive trips, teambuilding events, and motivational journeys organized as rewards for one or a group of employees.
• C — conferences. Conferences, seminars, congresses, and other large-scale events held for managers, employees, and company executives.
• E — exhibitions. Exhibitions, festivals, charity events, press tours. Like conferences, these business trips are organized for all company employees.

Business Tourism Centers in Russia

Moscow

The capital actively hosts partner meetings, cooperation discussions, and joint project negotiations. Representatives of Russian and international companies come to Moscow.

In this city, between business events, you can take excursions to historical sites and museums or enjoy a small tour of the best city restaurants.

Business conferences, meetings, and other corporate events can be organized in Accor group hotels:

• Mercure Moscow Paveletskaya. Guests are offered 12 conference halls with capacities up to 200 people. The hotel also features a restaurant, bar, gym, and wellness center.
• Novotel Moscow City. The hotel has 8 conference halls with capacities up to 300 people. Located among skyscrapers, the panoramic windows of the rooms offer a wonderful view of the capital. Guests also enjoy a restaurant, bar, and spa center.

We have listed only two hotels featuring the largest conference halls. Accor group has 19 hotels in Moscow overall. Each can host events of various budgets and capacities. You can organize a teambuilding or a private meeting with business partners in a small hall for 10-15 people, or hold a large-scale event for several hundred participants.

Saint Petersburg

In recent years, this city has become a center of business tourism. Russian and international events are held in St. Petersburg. The largest among them is the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Business meetings can be combined with walks in the city center, visits to famous museums, restaurants, and bars. During warm seasons, tourists especially enjoy excursions along the rivers and canals.

Business meetings can be held in hotels:

• Novotel Saint Petersburg Center. The hotel has 9 conference halls, two of which can be combined into one large room with a capacity of up to 100 people. Facilities include a restaurant, patisserie, Turkish bath, and gym.
• ibis Saint Petersburg Center. Business travelers are offered 5 conference halls with capacities up to 120 people. You can relax between meetings in the lobby bar or restaurant.

Nizhny Novgorod

Attracts business tourists thanks to an optimal combination of price and service quality and proximity to Moscow. The city hosts forums involving high-ranking officials, and the Nizhny Novgorod Fair is one of the country’s leading exhibition centers.

To distract from work, you can stroll to the Kremlin or the confluence of the Oka and Volga rivers. The city also has several beautiful embankments with wonderful views.

Business events can be organized at ibis Nizhny Novgorod. The hotel offers 6 conference halls with capacities up to 120 people. Guests have access to single and family rooms, a restaurant, and a bar.

Yekaterinburg

The business tourism center of the Urals. The city annually hosts the large-scale industrial exhibition INNOPROM and many international events. Yekaterinburg attracts about one million business tourists every year, including businessmen, entrepreneurs, and investors.

The city has many interesting museums: archaeological, fine arts, and Vladimir Vysotsky. If you don’t feel like going on excursions, you can simply enjoy walking and admiring the architecture.

Business events can be organized at Novotel Yekaterinburg Center. The hotel offers 7 conference halls with capacities up to 175 people, standard rooms, and suites. You can relax after business meetings in the restaurant or hammam.

Kaliningrad

The Kaliningrad region, with access to the Baltic Sea and bordering European countries, traditionally attracts business tourists from various regions of Russia and other countries.

Most often, businessmen come to the city for strategic sessions, seminars, and corporate events. These trips are complemented by cultural and excursion programs, including visits to tourist spots such as the Cathedral and the Fishing Village.

An ideal location for organizing business events combined with sightseeing is Mercure Kaliningrad Center. The hotel has 4 conference halls with capacities up to 240 people. It is located in the historic center of Kaliningrad, making it convenient to go on excursions from here.

Sochi

The city is home to residences of major industrialists and entrepreneurs. Businesspeople come here to find partners, hold negotiations, and sign contracts.

Sochi has become a popular business tourism destination thanks to its developed infrastructure, premium service, and unique venues for events. The city and its surroundings feature congress hotels and unconventional locations in the mountains and on the coast for teambuilding, corporate events, and negotiations.

In Sochi, you can combine work with active rest at ski resorts. The city is very close to Krasnaya Polyana. If you visit in summer and want to relax between meetings, we recommend local beaches, restaurants, and wineries.

One attractive venue for business events is Mercure Sochi Center. This four-star hotel has a conference hall that accommodates up to 600 people. It is within walking distance of the promenade and Marine Terminal, so after work, you can relax by the Black Sea shore or rent a yacht.

Vladivostok

The business tourism center of the Far East. The city annually hosts the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), attracting participants from more than 60 countries.

Vladivostok stands out among other Russian cities due to its close ties with Asian countries: Japan, Korea, and China. This has stimulated the development of infrastructure for international meetings of various levels.

When you have free time, visit Russky Island, home to Russia’s largest oceanarium. If you prefer not to travel far from the center, stroll through the city’s historic district. Visit local restaurants and try original Asian cuisine dishes.

A versatile venue for business events is Novotel Vladivostok. The hotel has 3 modern conference halls with capacities up to 200 people. It hosts corporate events, negotiations, and other business occasions. You can relax in rooms with elegant interiors and dine at the Japanese restaurant located right in the hotel.

Tips for Organizing a Business Trip

• Calculate your budget. It is important to plan the trip so that it pays off. Send only the most productive employees on business trips. Consider expenses for flights or trains, transfers from airports or stations to hotels, and accommodation.
• Carefully select locations. Count how many people will attend business meetings to choose an appropriate conference hall. Prefer locations with good ventilation, natural light, and modern equipment. This will ensure comfortable conditions for your events.
• Consider hiring contractors. Organizing a business trip independently, taking all nuances into account, is difficult. To ensure everything goes at a high level, consult specialists. Many agencies in the business tourism industry organize events considering the client’s budget, guests’ cultural traditions, scheduled meeting agendas, and other important aspects.
• Combine your business trip with a cultural program. Book one of the Accor group hotels. Our hotels are usually located in city centers, so it will be convenient for you to reach attractions, restaurants, museums, and other interesting places. Don’t rush to go home immediately after business meetings. Plan your time so that you have at least 1-3 days left to explore the new city and enjoy pleasant experiences.