Point of View

“We are about to start a pilot project to develop the necessary infrastructure at 12 specially protected natural areas. We will provide 1.5 billion roubles for this purpose, which we have already set aside in the budget. Our goal is to make unique natural landmarks available to tourists, in the way this is done all over the world, so that young people, families with children could come visit and enjoy the spectacular natural beauty of our nation.”

“What should we do to implement our huge tourist potential? First of all, we should invest in modern engineering and transport infrastructure. Second, we should create conditions to attract private businesses to the hospitality industry, reducing the costs of hotel and shopping construction and the arrangement of catering and other services. The federal programme for the advancement of tourism aims to do just that.”

“We expect that by the year 2018, our tourist inflow will grow more than sixfold to 23 million people, up from 3.6 million in 2010. The number of people who spend their vacations in Russia is expected to increase 1.5-fold to 45 million, up from 29 million. Consequently, the market of paid tourist services will increase 4.7-fold, from 88 billion to 417 billion roubles.”

“Furthermore, we are to confirm the federal targeted programme “On the Advancement of Domestic and Foreign Tourism in Russia in 2011-2018”. <…> Only 30% of this country’s tourist potential is currently being used. As we all know, Russia has ample resources for recreational tourism in almost all of its regions. We rank 4th in terms of global natural wealth, which may well be an understatement, given the country’s unmatched vastness and diversity.”