Business travel boosts the economy of Saint Petersburg (Russia).

In 2025, the number of tourists visiting Saint Petersburg reached 12.4 million, a 7% increase compared to the previous year. One of the key factors contributing to this growth is the development of business travel – a type of tourism associated with conferences, seminars, or events.

June is always the most expensive time for tourists in Saint Petersburg. This year's Saint Petersburg Economic Forum, with tens of thousands of delegates from nearly 130 countries, is creating a golden opportunity for the city's luxury tourism market.

According to Kommersant, during the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, hotel rooms and all transportation services became expensive.

The most expensive room costs nearly 900,000 rubles (over 300 million VND) per night. Previously, according to estimates by RBK analysts, guests attending the Forum alone could account for nearly 60% of high-quality hotel rooms in Saint Petersburg.

According to the Saint Petersburg authorities, by 2025 tourists will have contributed more than 800 billion rubles (over 277 trillion VND) to the economy of the northern capital. A significant contribution will come from conference and seminar attendees, accounting for approximately 40% of revenue.

According to statistics from 2025, business travelers accounted for 12% of the total number of tourists visiting Saint Petersburg. The cost for one of these business travelers is up to four times higher than that of a regular tourist, or even higher in some cases.

Russian media have called business travel the driving force of Saint Petersburg's economy, as this segment is growing faster than any other industry, generating high revenue and providing customers for the entire hotel industry during the eight months of the off-season.

The city authorities are promoting this industry and marketing Saint Petersburg as a leading business tourism hub in the country. Currently, the northern capital has 242 venues with infrastructure for business meetings and forums, and the total number of conferences and exhibitions has more than doubled from 343 in 2017 to 760 in 2025.

Many annual international conferences, seminars, and forums are still held here. The city government is committed to supporting the development of infrastructure for this sector, with the motto "the more events, the more visitors."

Source: https://vtv.vn/du-lich-cong-vu-thuc-day-kinh-te-saint-petersburg-nga-100260603090734511.htm