The Consortium presentation took place at the Session «Tourism Prospects in the New Reality: Challenges and Capacities», which was held as part of the 5th International Municipal Forum of the BRICS+ Countries at EXPOFORUM.

According to Sergey Alekseev, the Consortium to be established on the RUEF initiative unites state and public organizations, entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations of the BRICS, SCO, CIS countries and other states, interested in developing international collaboration in the event sector, supporting convention and exhibition activities and business tourism.

«The economic prerequisite for the Consortium to be established was the fact that, over the past decade, mutual investments of the BRICS member states have increased sixfold, and their investments in the global economy have doubled. Their total exports have reached 20% of the global indicator», noted Sergey Alekseev.

In the first half of 2023, Russia’s trade turnover with BRICS partners increased by 35.6% – up to 134.7 billion US dollars.

Today, the Consortium includes companies and organizations from Russia, China, India, Indonesia, South Africa, Portugal, Egypt, Tunisia, Abkhazia, Uzbekistan and Belarus.

Membership in the association makes it possible for its participants to develop their own projects through attracting exhibitors and buyers to the exhibitions, expand the business geography, the capacity to influence the industry development through the Consortium initiatives, participate in research, training programs, and share experiences with the Consortium members.

The BRICS+ International Municipal Forum is an annual business event to take place in St. Petersburg, with the support of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Rossotrudnichestvo and the Government of St. Petersburg. The project mission is turning Russia into the centre of the world cities’ collaboration.