RUSSIANS rest ... HOME!

In late November, Sochi took the first international tourist forum. It was attended by 150 companies and enterprises industry in Russia and travel more than 500 travel agencies. Status event, which brought together a number of senior experts of tourist sphere, continued logical development of the traditional city exhibition "Resorts and Tourism", annually held by JSC "SOUD - Sochi Exhibitions".

During operation, the forum participants got acquainted with the updated Sochi, learned rates of hotels and resorts for the upcoming holiday season, and solved a number of global development for the Russian tourism industry issues. Thanks to a well thought out and planned by the company «SOUD - Sochi Exhibitions" organization of the forum, participants were able to in a few days to discuss what challenges are facing the Russian travel industry, and how they will be addressed.

Forum Tourist - Travel Russian

The main theme of the First International Tourist Forum in Sochi was to discuss problems and ways of development of domestic tourism in Russia. Today it is a strategic task for our country, which largely addresses issues of import substitution and development of the sectors of the economy, non-oil and gas revenues. The current political situation, supported by the growth of foreign exchange, Russian tourists forced to shift to domestic resorts.

- the Russian tourism industry is at a crossroads - this year there was a change of structure of tourist industry - significantly reduced the demand for outbound tourism, somewhat reduced the number of foreign tourists, but at the same time, according to expert estimates, up to 30% increased the internal flow of tourists - said the acting head of the Federal Tourism agency Oleg Safonov.

increased interest in travel to Russia and helped to loss of confidence in the tour operators of outbound tourism in the wake of bankruptcies of several large companies, and patriotic sentiment against the backdrop of the annexation of Crimea, and the development of a comfortable rest for infrastructure in the different regions of our country. And if the past 20 years the Russians mainly focused on foreign holidays, thus leaving the country almost

$ 30 billion a year, but now they are willing to spend their money at home. The result - the growth of GDP of the state.

- Unfortunately, today the share of tourism sector in the country's GDP is only 0.5%. For comparison, in the US this figure is higher in almost nine times - where the number of citizens traveling within their state, is 80%. In European countries, tourism ranks fifth in the formation of gross domestic product. This is what Russia should strive for. Practice shows that the development of the tourism sector and domestic tourism makes it possible to work productively even 53 concurrent spheres of the national economy, as well as to overcome the imbalance in the development of regions with otstutstviem industry - said Oleg Safonov.

Problems and solutions

Unfortunately, today in Russia there is a huge imbalance, ten to one, with regard to outbound and domestic travel, and the share of our country in the global travel market is only 1%. The reasons are many. The main of them - transport. Transportation costs in Russia are often greatly exceeds the cost of recreation and travelers have to set aside money for a ticket, and not on the possible entertainment. solutions to this problem, according to experts, there is. In connection with the decline of interest in overseas travel, many carriers freeing up capacity for charter flights in Russia, it will contribute to the emergence in our country of so-called low-cost airlines. Such an initiative will be supported, and at the legislative level.

- It is proposed to change the tax code, namely, the introduction of the zero interest rate for the charter airlines, organizing flights to Russia, - said chairman of the expert council of inbound and domestic tourism of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Sergey Krivonosov .

solving the problems of domestic tourism will help a mandatory classification of placements. This assured the representatives of the Krasnodar region, whose proposals are supported by the positive experience of Sochi. Here, in preparation for the Winter Olympics in 2014 and the hotel facing all hotels received special certification.

State classification of hotels in can maintain uniform standards of service and improve its quality. Now, for example, a tourist from Yaroslavl reserve a hotel in Sochi over the internet. Pictures are wonderful, seemingly close to the sea, these three stars, and arrived at the kurrt, man is faced with the fact that it occupied in some strange private house a few kilometers from the beach. Introduction of a single classification will help to avoid such cheating tourists, - said the minister of resorts and tourism of Krasnodar region Evgeny Kudelya .

The participants of the forum were 150 companies and enterprises industry in Russia and travel more than 500 travel agencies.

In this case, the Krasnodar authorities believe that the decision on the order of classification of hotels can take the subjects themselves, given the areas in which, using the tourist demand, it is needed most. There is the issue of classification of hotels is another problem.

- Today certify hotels in Russia has the right to the Federal Agency for Technical Regulation. In this regard, there is confusion as to such non-state certificates are also referred to the stars. We sent a letter to the agency with a request to replace the stars on any other character not to introduce tourists astray, but have not yet received an answer - shared Eugene Kudelya.

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It should be noted that the certification issues are not only hotels, but also traveling workers.

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Today is registered in the Russian legislation, all the tour guides and tour guides must pass the required training, but there is no mention of how to prepare such professionals and who should control this process. To fill this gap in the legislation a must!

Another initiative in the Krasnodar Territory - to return the mandatory registration of a rest-ing. This is primarily due to security issues. And to ensure that the registration is not imposed a heavy burden on the shoulders of the FMS staff is necessary to provide in law for the possibility of using electronic means of communication. And it will help in the formation of tourism accounting system, which in our country leaves much to be desired. While the tourism potential of the region is determined according to large tourism enterprises. And who will take into account the mini-hotel? And why are not taken into account the data related industries - such as the restaurant business?

And finally - advertising. As practice shows, even the Russians did not know about the wonderful recreational opportunities in our country, to say nothing of foreign tourists.

- If the federal target program for the development of tourism in our country to promote Russian resorts is not enough money, the Krasnodar region is ready to co-finance these initiatives, - said Eugene Kudelya.

Thus, the problem, as we see, a lot. However, there are ways to solve them. The first of them - the formation of a single tourism product. It should also include transportation and accommodation, and meals, and possible additional services. Such a solution would help reduce the cost of the permit, in particular, by reducing the cost of flight.

The problem of cheaper flights we attempt Xia solve several years. However, no one will operate at a loss. Buy tickets at low prices can only advance - for a few months. Tour operators will be able to do so under the condition that the tourism product will be formed and it will be clear what you need to buy blocks of seats, - shared the experience of Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov .

As for advertising Russia as a tourist brand, then next year will have its own marketing agency in the country, which will be engaged in the promotion of the national tourism industry - Visit Russia. It will operate on the basis of Federal State Unitary Enterprise, which is now transferred from the Ministry of Culture to Rosturizm. On the advertisers will assign responsibilities to improve Russia's image abroad and the promotion of tourism potential in the country. It is expected that overseas will be open special offices, at home work will be conducted on the basis of the flagship turistskoinformatsionnyh centers. solve many of the problems of the tourism industry will help correct the state policy and the involvement of private investment in certain of the representatives of the Federal Tourism Agency. This is confirmed by the interim results of the federal target program of tourism development in our country. The participants have already become 26 Russian regions, which serves approximately 40 different projects.

- The development of domestic and inbound-ism that more than 20 MAWP rubles will be spent in 2015, with almost a third of the amount to private investors. As part of the federal program "Development of domestic tourism in the Russian Federation", the government plans to allocate for these purposes 5.2 billion rubles, despite the fact that private investment will be implemented by 15 billion rubles. This means that one ruble of attracted federal funds, private investors will contribute about three rubles, - said Oleg Safonov.

It should be noted that the interaction of business and government is already yielding positive results. A striking example of this has now become a Russian resort of Crimea. On this site just practiced different mechanisms for the development of domestic tourism.

The first season of the Russian resort

The first Russian holiday season Crimea was successful - all 805 seats were filled resort accommodation at the 100%. In addition, on the basis of the peninsula has been tested a number of legislative initiatives, including the mandatory classification of hotels, accredited tour guides, as well as the transfer of Crimea beach areas under the jurisdiction of the republic.

- However, even a successful holiday season fitment-ma, as a litmus test, revealed all the issues on which to work, - she said attending the International Tourism Forum in Sochi, the Minister of Resorts and Tourism of the Republic of Crimea Elena Yurchenko .

The first of them - the ill-fated transportation. In addressing the issue of transport shipping primarily Crimeans see the prospect of the budget "loukost" -Company as airfare subsidy program has not found the echo, which was supposed to be.

The second question is also not new - the formation of tourism products. Despite the fact that the resorts of Crimea Russians are ready to offer the most diverse vacation, including beach, recreational, cultural, educational and other, on the same themselves representatives of the tourism industry of the peninsula do not count.

- We propose to form a single-ristsky the product comprising the rest not only in Crimea, but also in other Russian resorts, a kind of "Golden Ring of Russia of the South." Thus the possibility of beach Crimea may be supplemented with mineral waters of Stavropol, treatment in Sochi, and so on - suggested Elena Yurchenko.

Questions of formation of a single proposal from the Crimea, Stavropol and Krasnodar territories tourism industry representatives will discuss soon a business forum "South of Russia 20:15. Time to rest in a new way ", which is scheduled in the Crimea in the period from 20-21 January 2015.

And what about Sochi?

Preparing for the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014 turned the city into a kind of standard Russian resort. The fact that our resorts are in no way inferior to foreign, gathered at the International Tourist Forum tour operators have seen with my own eyes. A look really have something.

- Updated Sochi has all the advantages to foreign resorts. And we want to tour operators from regions with their own eyes saw the Olympic capital opportunities. Sochi - it is the only one in our country multifunctional resort - shared the head of Sochi Anatoly Pakhomov.

Today, the city went to the world's major hotel brands, with extensive experience in the hospitality industry. Sochi hotels operate under the control of 12 the world's leading hotel chains, including such as "Swissotel", "Radisson", "Hyatt", "Marriott", "Pullman." Thanks to the Olympic project of the resort hotel rooms increased by 24 000 numbers now total room resort fund, including mini-hotels, which have passed the classification of 64 000 numbers, and it is - an opportunity for simultaneous placement of 120 thousand guests.

- The more offers in the market Placed-tion, and the wider range of prices. So I do not understand the logic of some of the media who continue to call the expensive resort of Sochi. It is clear that in a five star hotel cheapest room you are unlikely to take off - the prices here start at 7500 rubles. But if such a vacation you can not afford, in the same the Adler district, in close proximity to the Olympic clusters, there are entire neighborhoods consisting of 2-, 3-star hotels, where prices start from 2000 rubles per day. If you talk about placement in the private sector, there is the price starts from 400 rubles per day, - said Anatoly Pakhomov.

By the way, and large hotels, especially in Imeretinke this summer showed unprecedented pricing flexibility, arranging stocks of discount, "Hot Offers" and so on. In this special demand their conference opportunities. In general, Imeretinka become self-sufficient resort area, where there are unique opportunities for recreation. It created the longest embankment in Sochi - 6 kilometers. This is a great place for walking, equipped with bike and scooter rental. nearby - Olympic park in the summer on some days it is visited by 20,000 tourists.

- Very active and we are engaged in the development of one more direction - event tourism. This year we have held more than 100 events, including international importance. This sailing regatta, and the stage of "Formula 1", and the ice show Ili Averbuha, very loved by tourists and the Olympics robotics and more. Already generated significant events calendar for 2015. Some of them will be held for the first time and I am sure, will cause great interest among our guests. I think audiences like to visit events such as the Festival of balloons Festival of Military Bands, air show and yachting regatta, - said Anatoly Pakhomov.

By the way, most recently in Sochi there was one more place for extreme sports - sports and tourist complex "Sky Park" which offers a unique program: flying through the canyon, jumping into the abyss, a walk to the highest suspension bridge in Russia. However, the emergence of new recreation areas and areas does not negate the main reason why, in fact, the resort was created. Absolute priority for the City - the development of recovery infrastructure. terrenkur - three new pump-room, restored "Path of Health" built over the past five years. In Sochi, today there are more than 80 sanatoriums and boarding houses, where they treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system, the cardiovascular and nervous systems, reproductive disorders, and more.

By the way, in order to improve their health in Sochi, it is not necessary to purchase a ticket sanatorium. It is possible to stay in a cheap hotel, and medical procedures to go on a pre-purchased at the resort kursovkam. Such a possibility is offered nearly all Sochi resorts. In addition, sanatoriums and resorts of the city offer a lot of variety of cultural and educational tours for adults and children. On the territory of Sochi is located more than 100 objects of tourist show, more than 70 unique monuments of nature, - said Anatoly Pakhomov.

Renewed interest in the Russian resort is great. This year, the resort has received more than five million visitors, and the loading of the Sochi health resorts was 97% in the summer. Sure the city authorities and a successful upcoming winter season, which starts in December.

- The first Olympics after the full ski season for Sochi today can be considered valid and successful. To date, up to the end of January, booked a place for all ski resorts, and even in a small private hotel in Krasnaya Polyana. The resort "Rosa Khutor" which world experts recognized as the best Russian ski center, ski season kicks off on December 12 - has shared the head of Sochi Anatoly Pakhomov.

But despite the strong performance, Sochi authorities understand that success can not be permanent. To further attract tourists to the representatives of the city administration together with the staff of placements carried out the so-called road show. Sochi representatives have already visited Yekaterinburg, Minsk, Moscow. Due to such visits in the Russian resort begins to form very attractive, and most importantly a competitive tourism product.

- Cooperation with the administration of ECAT-rinburga and Ural Airlines has allowed us to create a unique offer for the residents of the Sverdlovsk region. Due to such interaction a week vacation to the Urals on the program "Open South", which includes flight, accommodation in a sanatorium, treatment and food, will cost only 27 thousand, - told the participants of the forum, representatives of Sochi administration.

It should be noted that an attractive tourist product - not all the benefits of the Olympic capital. In conclusion of his speech, the mayor Anatoly Pakhomov reminded all participants of the First International Tourist Forum yet another achievement of the Russian resort of: according to statistics, every third citizen of our country was conceived precisely in Sochi. This proves once again that the development of tourism in Russia can solve a lot of very important issues.

Irina Sizov

According materiallov Journal "Lights SOCHI FOR ALL" №12 (61) December 2014

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