From tourism to investment: a representative of KRSU took part in the SPIEF–2026 retreat

The head of the Department of Physical Education, Sports and Tourism of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, Evgeny Zeitler, took part in the visiting session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF–2026), organized by the «Roscongress» Foundation. The central theme of the plenary session was the development of business tourism as a driver of Russian-Kyrgyz cooperation and new opportunities for the development of territories.Participants discussed the role of business tourism in strengthening trade, economic, investment and humanitarian ties between Kyrgyzstan and Russia, as well as the development of congress and exhibition activities, business missions and international forums as effective tools for expanding cooperation.The head of the State Agency for Tourism Development of the Kyrgyz Republic, Eduard Kubatov, said that in the first half of 2026, 6.5 million tourists visited Kyrgyzstan, and by the end of the year more than 15 million are expected. According to him, the industry's contribution to the country's economy will amount to 1.7–1.8 billion US dollars, and the share of tourism in GDP will reach 5.5–5.7%.The national tourism brand Visit Kyrgyz and a single digital platform were also presented, which will unite the main services for travelers: visa processing, accommodation booking, obtaining permits, route information and contacts of tour operators. The platform will be available in Kyrgyz, Russian, English and Chinese.Executive Director of the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs Elena Ubrieva noted that a business tourist brings in about four times more income to the economy than a tourist traveling for the purpose of recreation. According to her, the Russian exhibition and congress industry unites about four thousand companies, and at the end of 2025, government contracts worth 13.3 billion rubles were concluded as part of industry events.Managing Director of the Department of International Bilateral Business Cooperation of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Anna Solovyova emphasized that modern business tourism is no longer an addition to traditional recreation, but is becoming an independent instrument of economic development. According to her, for Russia and Kyrgyzstan this is an opportunity to jointly develop territories, attract investments, implement new projects and train qualified personnel. She also noted the readiness of the RSPP to coordinate joint initiatives and invited interested parties to open dialogue and implement practical projects.Experts agreed that the development of business tourism helps attract investment, develop infrastructure, exchange professional experience and increase the competitiveness of regions. Among the priority study programs were the improvement of the congress and exhibition infrastructure, the introduction of digital services and the creation of comprehensive business, cultural and tourism products.