The tourism department is headed by Vladimir Strzhalkovsky

government regulation

Yesterday, the press service of the Russian President reported that Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the creation of two new structures on the basis of the Federal Agency for Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism (FAFKST): Federal Agency for Physical Culture and Sports (see also pages 1 and 11) and the Federal Tourism Agency. Both structures now report directly to the head of government. Vladimir Strzhalkovsky was appointed head of the tourism department.

Compared to FAFCT, the status of the two new agencies has increased significantly. They report directly to the government, while FAFKST reported to the Ministry of Health and Social Development. “This once again indicates that at the federal level more attention has begun to be paid to issues of tourism development,” notes the President of the Russian Union of Tourism Industry Sergei Shpilko. “The first call in this regard was a meeting of the Presidium of the State Council with the participation of Vladimir Putin, dedicated to the development of the sanatorium and resort complex; it took place this summer in Gelendzhik." Vladimir Strzhalkovsky, who was in charge of the tourism department at the Ministry of Economic Development before the start of the administrative reform, was appointed head of the new tourism structure.

In the 1980s, Vladimir Strzhalkovsky worked in Leningrad in the USSR state security agencies together with Vladimir Putin. In 1990, he retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel and in November of the same year he created the Neva travel agency. Mr. Strzhalkovsky was the general director of this company until his appointment as Deputy Minister for Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism in November 1999. In the summer of 2000, when the Department of Tourism was created at the Ministry of Economic Development, he received the post of deputy minister overseeing the work of this department. In mid-2004, during the administrative reform, the Department of Tourism of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade was liquidated, and Vladimir Strzhalkovsky was relieved of his position.

Tourism market participants believe that, having returned to tourism management, Vladimir Strzhalkovsky will continue to do what he did at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. “At the time of his dismissal, Mr. Strzhalkovsky was working on the introduction of financial or insurance guarantees for tour operator activities - a mechanism that would effectively protect tourists,” says Inna Beltyukova, general director of the Capital Tour company. “Finarranties are objectively necessary for the tourism market and tourists.” In addition, market participants expect that the new head of the tourism industry will try to delay the abolition of licensing for tour operator and travel agency activities, scheduled for 2005 - the current separate licensing in tourism was introduced in 2002 precisely on his initiative.

Otherwise, travel businessmen assess the consequences of the new appointment for the industry differently. “I hope that he will be able to ensure normal development of the industry. His business qualities are well known to everyone in the tourism market,” says Alexander Sinigibsky, general representative of the Tez Tour company in Russia. “Tourism must be as accurate as a Swiss bank, and the last six months of uncertainty after the dissolution Department of Tourism in the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade clearly did not benefit the industry." “Everything will be the same as in the previous four years: the incoming tourism that the country needs will not develop, nor will the infrastructure,” says Evgeny Shvedov, head of the Moscow Tour group of companies, chairman of the guild of tourism industry enterprises of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “But there will be "Corruption will flourish and we will again witness a conflict of public and private interests."

Vladimir Strzhalkovsky himself refused to comment on his appointment yesterday.

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