New Delhi, Sept 22 (ANI): The Ministry of Tourism, the Government of India in association with the Indian Mission in Russia and the Experience India Society will organise Incredible India Events in Russia from October 22-27 as part of celebration of the "Year of India in Russia".

The primary objective of the Incredible India Events is to showcase the tourism potential of India and to place India as favoured destination for the Russians.

The highlight of the Incredible India Event is an India Evening at the Moscow Ritz Carlton Hotel on September 22 and at the St. Petersburg Grand Hotel Europe on September 24.

The ICCR will be putting up a cultural performance of leading Indian artist, Tanusree Shankar, to showcase India's rich culture during India Evenings organized at both cities.

The India Evenings will be followed by four-day long India Food Festivals at the respective cities.

A team of twelve top chefs from India's premier hotel chains have been specially flown to Russia to popularize the best of Indian cuisine in Russia.

The Ministry of Tourism is also participating in the Otdykh Leisure Show 2009 in Moscow by putting up an India Pavilion.

The show opened in Moscow on September 22 in which the India Pavilion was inaugurated by Sanjay Kothari, Additional Secretary -Tourism, Government of India in the presence of travel partners from India.

For providing wide publicity for the events in Russia, an integrated outdoor advertising campaigns and print media campaigns have been launched by Indiatourism Office, Frankfurt in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Tourist arrivals from Russia to India is showing a steady growth.

In the year 2008, India received a total of 91,423 tourists from Russia as against 75543 in 2007.

The Incredible India Events provides an effective platform for showcasing Indian culture, cuisine and myriad tourism products to a large gathering of elite audience in Russia.

Russia is an important source market for Indian tourism, reflecting high growth rate over the last few years and it is expected that this growth will increase still further. (ANI)