Isabelle Haas, Managing Director of CGTT Voyages, a specialist in business travel in Eastern Europe

Is it now easier than it used to be to plan a business trip to Russia?

Isabelle Haas: We've been operating in the region for 40 years, and we've been through some more difficult times than others... More and more companies are interested in Russia, particularly SMEs and SMIs; but the paradox is that it's become increasingly complicated to travel to Russia. You have to plan your trips much further in advance than you used to. And the time and formalities involved in obtaining visas remain a major obstacle.

Are there any improvements in sight?

I. H. : There was a plan to abolish visas altogether, as is already the case for nationals of certain Eastern European countries. That's not really on the agenda any more. However, new visa rates should be published very soon. Another new feature is the abolition of the HIV test that businessmen had to take to obtain a one-year visa.

Once these formalities have been completed, what are the main difficulties facing business travellers interested in Russia?

I. H.: The main obstacle, particularly for SMEs and SMIs, is the exorbitant rates available locally, in Moscow of course, but also in the provinces where there is also a shortage of hotel capacity. With most hotel projects not due to see the light of day until 2009, the shortage is not about to go away. The same applies to air travel: there are no low-cost flights to Russia from France, even though low-cost flights to other Eastern European countries have developed enormously. Another problem is the practical organisation of the trip. Although it's much easier to get around Russia than it used to be, it's still impossible to organise your trip from France, especially when it comes to booking train tickets. What's more, despite improvements, domestic flights are often unreliable. Another obstacle for Moscow is traffic jams, which make it increasingly difficult to set up an appointment diary.

Are these pitfalls likely to continue?

I. H. : Over the last five years in particular, I've seen a real government commitment to renovating tourism infrastructure. This includes improving the railways, buying new aircraft and launching nearly 300 hotel projects across the country. As far as services within Russia are concerned, international airlines such as Lufthansa, Austrian and Turkish Airlines are beginning to move away from the traditional Moscow-St Petersburg pairing to open flights to other cities. This corresponds to the expectations of the business market: today, the Russian market is no longer limited to these two major cities. Nevertheless, most of our visitors still prefer to travel via Moscow, if only to make contacts.

Russia still suffers from an image of a "dangerous" country. Is it really dangerous for a business traveller?

I. H. : That image of a complicated, 'mafia' country, where you risked being mugged as soon as you left the airport, has changed considerably. It has to be said: in the day-to-day life of a business traveller who stays within the traditional circuits, there are no more dangers than in a Western European capital.

Another negative image is that of a country where the practice of foreign languages is non-existent. Is this still the case?

I. H. : The language barrier remains a problem. But even though it used to be difficult to make oneself understood in English, even in hotels, and even though everything is still written in Cyrillic, progress is being made, particularly among the younger generation.

Taking part in trade fairs is still the best way to discover the Russian market. What can you offer business travellers who want to take part in these trade fairs?

I. H. : Even if it's still lower than the representation of German or Italian groups, there is indeed a growing demand for participation from French companies, due in particular to the mobilisation of institutions such as Ubifrance or the Medef. Especially as trade fairs are much more professional than they used to be, and are still the easiest way to meet decision-makers from the provinces. That's why we've set up a dedicated trade show unit within our business department. Over the year, we offer packages for around twenty trade shows, either for visitors or for exhibitors. But it's best to plan well in advance, as it's still very difficult to find rooms during the exhibition period.