After a hugely successful 2013, expectations are high for the real estate sector in the Russian cities of Moscow and St Petersburg. However, unlike previous booms in the country, this particular building frenzy is largely being driven by foreign companies drawn in by Russia's rapidly growing middle class.

Mipim, an international real estate show hosted every year in Cannes, France, brings together thousands of developers and architects, as well as city and country officials eager to court potential investors. At this year's event, Michal Kaczmarski asked representatives from Brabant, Eindhoven, Frankfurt, Liverpool, Montenegro and the Chechen Republic what sets their locations apart from other destinations.

The real estate sector took a pounding in 2013, with record lows forecast for foreign investment on a global scale. But on a regional level, the Asia-Pacific is seeing increased investment in the sector in what is thought to be an emerging trend.  

Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, attracting high levels of investment and creating millions of jobs. But what does it take to become a tourist hub, and is big investment alone enough to attract a mass influx of visitors?