On 27 February, Chair of Tourism and Hotel Management by the Faculty of International Relations and Politics at RANEPA St. Petersburg hosted the session «Inbound Tourism as a Tool of International Diplomacy», as part of the IV Eurasian Youth Forum.»

The event brought together tourism industry professionals, academic community and students at RANEPA St. Petersburg to address a lot of related issues: from local branding, digital diplomacy and social media influencers in the Arctic, to sports tourism and practical tools for using tourism as a “soft power”. RANEPA St. Petersburg Bachelor’s and Master’s students in Tourism and Hotel Management presented their research.

RANEPA St. Petersburg academic staff shared:

Tourism in the 21st century is becoming a powerful platform for building trust between nations. It’s great to see our students proposing useful solutions rather than just abstract ideas.

Prof Dr. Marina Morozova, Head of Tourism and Hotel Management Chair, Director of the International Center for Competences in Tourism and Hospitality

The forum provided students not only the platform for research, but also live contact with professionals who shape the industry.

Dmitry Burlov, Senior teacher and “Hotel Management” Bachelor’s program Director

Our students saw that tourism is not just about routes and hotels, but also about soft power, diplomacy, and a cultural code. The first-year students’ engaging in the discussion at such a level speaks volumes.

Aleksander Yakovlev, Teacher and “Tourism” Bachelor’s program director

The panelists agreed: in times when traditional international connections are often banned, tourism remains a natural environment to keep an interethnic contact: travelers become «culture ambassadors» and a host country conveys its local story.