Yevgeniy Nikitinskiy Chairman of the Committee for Tourism Industry,
Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan
In the current year the National Tourism Administration of Kazakhstan made a decision and resumed its participation in the 3rd International specialized exhibition “Intourmarket”, (ITM) 15-28 of March, and 15th International tourist fair > “Travel and Market” (MITT), 19-22 of March, 2008 in the hero-city Moscow.
Performance of artists on the exhibition complex “Crocus Expo” scene of the tourist market
“Intourmarket - 2008”, Moscow
The organizers of the exhibition were “Expotour” and “EUROEXPO” companies. The exhibition was organized by active support of Plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation in Central Federal District, Federal agency on tourism of RF.
This year the floor space made 29 000 sq.m. the exhibition grew for 30 % in comparison with the last year.
In “Intourmarket” about 1500 companies took part. The exhibition visually demonstrated stably developing level of Russian tour industry and subjects of the federation. For the first time 84 regions of Russia take part in the exhibition.
Foreign exposition was presented by exhibitors and national administrations from 52 countries of the world.
Every international tourist event the given Russian exhibition made it its aim to encourage the development and formation of business contacts of foreign market participators, by organization meeting for foreign and Russian exhibitors with tour business representatives, experience exchange and new price policy modification in forthcoming summer season.
Remarkable, that the exhibition was oriented, first of all, to professionals of tourism business. For the third year by its organization an event – on special “A Professional visitor” program, that became one of the innovations in international experience adoption and approach to European standards in tourist exhibition organizations. About 1000 tourist, transport companies and hotels participated in the exhibition.
At the exhibition “Intourmarket” at the seminar adjacent sectors of tourism industry – railways, air companies, hotels, resorts, professional education establishment, colleges and academies on tourist staff, languages courses and other thing that allowed to give an appropriate evaluation on condition of branch development.
“Intourmarket-2008” – was organized as a complex event with saturated business program. At the exhibition were held days of guest countries and exhibition participants, also the days of regions of Russian Federation. In particular Days of Bulgaria, Cuba, Moscow area, Syria, Japan, Hungary, South Korea, Ural and West Siberia, presentation of tourist potential of Kazakhstan.
During the exhibition “Tendencies of SPA & Wellness industry development in up-to-date condition” seminar of the World Tourism Organization was held, and session of the Union on tourism of SIC was held.
Should be mentioned that at the opening and work of the commission participated Mr. F. Frangially, the Secretary General of UNWTO and Mrs. K. Wohlmuther, the Regional representative for Europe.
He noted that the use of SPA & Wellness technologies is very important for modern tourism development taking into account marked tendencies and its medical-sanitary possibilities. The UNWTO since this year will start the research, summarizing of experience and working out the guidelines on SPA development technologies & Wellness industry with the aim of stable development of international tourism.
With the report on basic directions of “European association” activity and world spa & wellness industry development tendencies was spoken by the Secretary General of European SPA association Mr. Joachim Libber (Germany).
He considers that the main objective of the European association is the development of spa & wellness industry in accordance with All-European standards. Nowadays the development of resorts with utilization opportunities of thermal and mineral recourses, spa centers & wellness industry take place not only in Europe but in Asia. “Eurospa” standards in the given sector of tourist industry applicable to qualitative showing of water, allocation standards, gastronomy, ecology, ethics and method massage types, cosmetology, treatment etc.
Today national tourist administrations became to pay peculiar attention to resorts creation and specialized spa – centers in hotels and aqua parks, at tourism objects popular rest, at shores, in hotels, guest houses and passenger vessels. The greatest, specialized spas - built in Chicago (USA), water park in Tokyo (Japan), the reconstruction of “Khan Shatyr” is being lead with usage of new spa-technologies in Astana city.
Mrs. Maryam Hribar – chief of directorate on tourism of the Ministry of economy of Slovenia and Mr. Wolfgang Schneeweis – the representative of international tourist consulting company “Kohl and Partner” from Austria.
There are 15 resorts in Slovenia, with various assortment of spa – serices, and with usage of mineral and thermal waters.
CIS Tourism Council Session
Important event of the exhibitions programme «Intormarket-2008» was next CIS Tourism council session. The CIS experts on Caspian reservoir meeting in International Sea cruise «Caspi – sea of friendship» project realization was held on the threshold of the council session.
The experts – Mintasova A.A. – head of international cooperation department of Federal Agency for Tourism of Russian Federation, representatives of the Astrakhan Territory administration, Karibov A.Sh. – the first Deputy Minister of culture and tourism of the Republic of Dagestan, Aliev Z.G. – head of the central tourism department of the Ministry of culture and tourism of Azerbaijan, Chairman of the Committee of Tourism Industry Nikitinski E.S. and Baimuhanova Zh.T. – senior specialist of International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan were present at the working group meeting. There were considered such questions and proposals as sea cruise route organization, creation of sea, passengers ports and necessary infrastructure development, acquisition or passenger sea ships rent – tourist class, elaboration of entertaining-cognitive programmes for tourists, including their accommodation and nourishment organization.
As a result of discussion Kazakhstan triggered submission of project signing of Memorandum of top-priority measures on Caspian Sea between Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan, organization of cultural heritage and tourism of Islamic Republic Iran, Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Federal Agency for Tourism of Russian Federation and State Committee of tourism of Turkmenistan, and later signing of international agreement on the matter.
On the 17th of March the next session of Tourism Council took place in President-hotel with General Secretary UNWTO Francesco Frangialy, Deputy Chairman of Russian Federation Government, Chief Administration of Russian Federation Government Naryshkin S.E, Deputy Chairman of CIS Executive Committee Aidarov N.G. and heads of authorized bodies in tourism of Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation and Ukraine participation.
The Deputy Chairman of Russian Federation Government Naryshkin S.E. opened Counsel Session. General Secretary of UNWTO Francesco Frangialy addressed to the session participants, he mentioned, particularly that today all the countries of CIS are the members of World Tourism Organization – specialized agency of United Nations Organization, which numbers 153 states in its ranks. In the nearest time Norway and Holland also will become full numbers of WTO. Last year favorable situation arised at the world market of tourist services, general number of arrivals reached 900 mln.people and growth made up +6,2 %. 480 mln.arrivals are registered in European region where CIS countries are included, 93 mln. for Eastern Europe. In spite of the fact that modern tendencies of financing market are extremely complicated, considerable fluctuation in exchange is being observed, and cost of one oil barrel reached 110 US $, we must be sufficiently flexible and do what one can to help the Governments of your countries in stable tourism industry development. You will have the opportunity to discuss these important issues in more detail and examine the project of corporative agreement between the CIS Tourism council and UNWTO in May, 2008, Prague, at the 47th session of regional commission UNWTO for Europe. In conclusion General Secretary UNWTO Francesco Frangialy thanked for invitation and wished good luck in Counsel work. The issues of changes in Russian Federation legislation about tourist activity; about tourism development MICE (business congress tourism) in CIS countries and about cooperation on education for tourism industry were put on the agenda of council session.
Having listened information of Federal Agency for Tourism of Russian Federation about changes, included in current legislation about tourist activity, consider it’s necessary mention that these measures allowed Russia to renew and harmonize with international law, CIS legislation conceptual machinery in tourism sphere. To introduce the common federal register of turoperators, provide financial responsibility of tuoperators (to introduce bank guarantee and liability insurance contract of turoperators and tourist agencies, according to which the rate of financial guarantees in international tourism since2008 will make 10 mln.roubles (400 000 US $), domestic tourism – 500000 roubles (20000 US $), and financial responsibility of turoperator, simultaneously connected with domestic and international tourism will make 10 mln.roubles (400 000 US$).
In authors of law opinion, financial provision will guarantee repayment of cash means, inserted by tourist in agreement account for services, paid, but not rendered by turoperator. Payment of cash means, owed to tourist in compensation of the damage, including cash means, necessary for refund of charge, sustained by tourist in view of unforeseen departure (evacuation) from the country (place) of commorancy. Besides, the rules of passengers’ aircraft operations, baggage and requirements to tourists’ service are mentioned in law. So, it is provided by interruption by transportation through ferryman’s fault, and also in case of delay, flight abolition in case of adverse weather conditions, on technical and other reasons, rerouting of transportation ferryman is obliged to:
- granting mother and child room to the passenger with child at the age till 7;
- two calls or two messages by e-mail at expectation of flight departure more than two hours;
- substantial food providing while expectation of flight departure during four hours and further every six hours in day time and every eight hours – in night time;
- delivery by transportation from the airport to the hotel and back in cases when the hotel is granted without levy of mezzanine board, and also luggage register. Adopted legislation provides development of normative legal basis and gives rights to the Federal Agency for Tourism of Russian Federation in future to accept regulations about attestation of guides, tour guides, interpreters.
The useful was information of National tourist administration of Azerbaijan about MICE industry development on the second issue of the agenda. In its turn Uskenbaev K.A. – Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan (in accordance with the entered engagement of expert group), introduced a motion about inclusion in decision of CIS Tourism council session the addition – to recommend to National tourist administrations of Caspiy reservoir countries to work over mechanism of joint international project realization in organization of sea cruise «Caspiy – sea of friendship» for Memorandum agreement, and in consequence the signing of international agreement between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan, organization of cultural heritage and tourism of Islamic Republic Iran, Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Federal Agency for Tourism of Russian Federation and State Committee of tourism of Turkmenistan. There was also determined the next place of a meeting of countries experts – participants of the project at the council session, which will be held in April, 2008 in Baku city.
The second initiative of Kazakhstan was to consolidate power in the work for mutual advancement of branding, as unified tour product of countries SIC to the Great Silk Way and treatment sanitary tourism with the applying modern technology “pantotreatmet” which is practicing in Gorny Altay of Russia and Kazakhstan.
The deputy of the head of Rostourism Shengeliya N.O. and the Head of Russian State University Tourism and service Fedulin A.A. made a speech concerning the third problem about cooperation for training specialties of industry of tourism. It was decided information for training specialties of industry of tourism in Russia Federation. They were approving proposal of participants of the meetings to make more active on the base and to change information for professional and training standards. They decided to determine training institutions in the country of CIS for raising the level of teachers’ skills.
The deputy of the head of Rostourism Shengeliya N.O. and the Head of Russian State University Tourism and service Fedulin A.A. made a speech concerning the third problem about cooperation for training specialties of industry of tourism. It was decided information for training specialties of industry of tourism in Russia Federation. They were approving proposal of participants of the meetings to make more active on the base and to change information for professional and training standards. They decided to determine training institutions in the country of CIS for raising the level of teachers’ skills. The 15th of international tourist exhibition
“Travel and tourism” (MITT)
Anniversary 15th Moscow International Travel & Tourism Exhibition started on March 19, 2008. It hosts mare than 3000 leading world tourist and travel companies. The 15 years of success are a milestone of long journey towards making this show the third most important event in the world tourism. Total exhibition space has been increased to 50,000 square meters.
Year 2008 is officially announced the year of Turkey in Russia and Turkey received the status of a partner country for the first time in MITT history.
The delegation of Kazakhstan took part in a work of the exhibition and consisted of representatives of National tourist administration of country, the representatives of tourist company “Zholimbet”, “Globus”, “Raihert and K” from Akmola region, ‘Zhana nur”, “Asia Discover”, “Otrar travel”, “Damira tur” , “Alem Avia” “Otan Travel”, KTA from Almaty city, “Alem tur”, “Sayat”, “Deni-s-2007”, “Kaz line Travel”, hotel “Rixos President Astana” from Astana city, the regional departments supervising tourism affairs (Aktobe, Almaty, Southern - Kazakhstan regions).
Traditionally there was proposed a program of conference and seminars on the exhibition MITT, among them, it should marked a good conference ‘The main tendencies of development tourism in Russia and in the world”, “ The best practice: from working out of strategic concept till attraction investment” and “Increasing capacity of tourist business”.
In compliance with priorities of international and economical development country marking in the message of President of Republic of Kazakhstan N.Nazarbaeyv cooperation with Russian tourist business is strategic and economical perspective. Nowadays, tourist from Russia is about one million. The best place where Russian tourist can relax, it is Shuchinsk-Borovskoi zone, active tourism on Altai and on the coast of Buhtarmy in East-Kazakhstan region, mountain excursion in mountain of Zailiski Alatau in Almaty region and a cognitive rout on Kazakhstan Silk way.
In an effort of deciding problems about add-ins mutual cooperation in the frame of exhibition, there were meetings with the representatives tourist community of Russia.
Among actual problem there is the optimization of size tariffs and terms in visiting space center “Baikonur” for incoming and out coming tourism.
Also it required in deciding problems about mutual obtain vise, giving to foreigners for passing through transboundary tourist region between Yazev lake and Sarsembai in mountain Altai, on the river Arakan in the East-Kazakhstan region.
In the frame of realization project Silk Way, it is necessary to create the Soviet Silk Way of country SIC and Central Asia for effective tourist product of countries Central-Asia region and Russia on world market, and also creating common web site about tourist potential two countries.
For information of tourist possibilities of Kazakhstan in Russia mass media, there were meetings with the representatives of the channel “Russia”, with publishing house of magazines and tourist newspapers, with popular journalists and editors of tourist program.
In 2008 on Moscow international tourist exhibition, in the frame of parting of Kazakhstan were cover theme broadly: “Kazakhstan- the place of realizing 15th General Assembly of World tourist organization”, “Kazakhstan- a new tourist direction”, “Kazakhstan –the place of realizing Asiads-2011”.
There were introduced a different information about tourist potential of Kazakhstan, maps of tourist routs, DV-disks in Russian and in English languages about tourist potential of Kazakhstan.
In conclusion, I think that international exhibition in Moscow show development of tourist industry in Russia, analytical information which is the method of forecasting of changing on the tourist market between our countries.
For us, participating in Moscow exhibition-it’s a real possibility to attract Russian tourist for the relaxing and for travel in Kazakhstan. It is a unique possibility to promote national tourist product for Russian tourist market, it is effective method spreading and getting a wise spectrum of economical, technical and commercial information about new tourist technical.
