Students of the Master's Programme “International Business in the Asia-Pacific Region” took part in the International Tourism Forum «TravelHub 2025»
The forum, organized with the support of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development and the St. Petersburg Committee for Tourism Development, brought together experts, government officials, and business representatives from various countries to discuss development of territories through positioning and attracting investment in infrastructure and service industries. By attending the forum events, students not only had the opportunity to learn about current trends in place branding in Russia, the CIS countries, China, and the Middle East, but also to participate in discussions on international cooperation and exchange contacts with government and business representatives.
A special focus at the forum was on the tourist attractiveness of cities and regions during the winter season. How to “pack winter” into popular tourist products, and how to make winter events a hallmark of the regions, were discussed by the forum participants.
According to the opinion of the first-year Master’s student Sambo Emmanuel Anan, “the "Travel Hub 25" forum was a very inspiring and insightful event that brought together diverse perspectives on innovation, travel, and global collaboration. I really appreciated the engaging discussions, networking opportunities, and the chance to learn from industry professionals. I was so impressed on how Saint Petersburg is widely open to welcoming more tourists, business investors and other industry professionals. The discussion on improving hotels and other hospitality cost systems for visitors' comfort was such an inspiring branding, not forgetting the engagement with airlines and the administrative transport systems to make movements easier and cheaper for travellers. In fact, the atmosphere was indeed warm and intellectually stimulating, leaving me highly motivated to explore new ideas in international business and travel development. I am highly available for more of its kind and also highly recommend the event anyone who may hear of it on any platform. Overall, it was a valuable experience that enriched my academic and professional growth”.
Adu-Appiah Daniel, a first-year Master's student, believes that "attending the tourism conference proved to be an excellent decision. I gained valuable insights into Russia’s hospitality and tourism industry and connected with numerous professionals who shared their contacts and invited me to their countries. I look forward to participating in more conferences of this kind”.
Ekaterina Shekova, the author of the course “Place Branding”
“The knowledge gained during the forum will allow students to better master the course ‘Place Branding’, and use practical examples to explore different areas and tools of territorial branding, as well as modern approaches to promoting various regions in Russia and abroad. This forum demonstrates how such events can help develop cities, regions, and countries; and how collaboration between government and business can lead to positive results in place branding, creating competitive advantages for territories and efficiently positioning them for different target audiences in the market.”