Suzdal instead of Riga

Pskov expects an influx of tourists who can no longer travel abroad

This summer, the authorities recommended that civil servants and military personnel rest in their country, counting, as the media writes, on “more patriotic behavior of employees of state-owned companies.” In this regard, the tourism industry has lost from 15 to 25 percent of income according to various indicators, Gelena Samokhvalova, President of the Association of Tour Operators and the Tourism Industry of the North-West, said at the round table "Pskovites and trips to Europe: attitude to tourism in Western countries in connection with the imposition of sanctions" 22 August 2014

Despite the fact that travel agencies have become less used, the choice of vacation has not become less. For this reason, it is impossible to draw an unambiguous conclusion about how strong the decline has been in the development of the tourism industry. According to psychologist and business consultant Sergei Kalinin, we live under capitalism, and freedom of choice is one of the gains of the last 20 years. Giving up the opportunity to travel abroad is very difficult, because people are already used to “the freedom to choose between Pepsi and Coke.” Prohibitions, of course, bans, but the flow of citizens abroad remained the same and dropped slightly. The drop in demand for tour packages is also explained by the fact that we live in the age of information technology, so many, mostly young people, began to search, learn and choose countries, hotels and resorts for recreation themselves. We can say that self-booking is one of the reasons for the bankruptcy of travel agencies.

Recommendations hit the tourist flow, early bookings. After all, all civil servants have clear vacation dates. Having outlined and redeemed vouchers, now they are forced to lose money by returning vouchers and change vacation plans. Of course, we encountered a number of problems, in particular on the beach. The situation is unfavorable. It's good that colleagues from the Baltics are trying to look less at politics, because tourism is associated with the rest of ordinary people, - says Gelena Samokhvalova, President of the Astur Association of Tour Operators and the Tourism Industry of the North-West of the North-West.

In Russia, of course, they began to travel more. Including people go to Pskov. The so-called pilgrimage tours are especially popular, says Gelena Samokhvalova, although in summer the flow of pilgrim tourists was somewhat lower than in any other period. The people of Pskov are trying to choose either the Baltic Gulf, or Yaroslavl, Suzdal, in general, what they have heard about, but have never been.

Are there any special tastes in choosing a place of rest for the residents of Pskov?

I wouldn't single out the Pskov people and say that we have some special trends in the development of tourism, Pskov is a part of Russia, and we have exactly the same trends as throughout the country. Maybe the fact that we have a border nearby makes it specific, but Pskov is not the only such city, St. Petersburg also borders, in particular, with Finland, - answers the psychologist Sergey Kalinin. - There is a stratification of society, different social groups will have different attitudes towards trips abroad: someone does not need these trips abroad, someone may not be able to afford it, or even - a principled position. On the other hand, this is a very difficult season for tour operators, the flow is declining. But, in my opinion, the queues at customs checkpoints on weekends may have become a little smaller, but basically they have remained the same.

Yuliya Barsukova, an external marketing specialist at the AHHAA science and entertainment center (Tartu, Estonia), reports that their attitude has not changed at all. There are guides and programs for Russians. Most of all, Russian tourists come - this is the fastest growing group: it has tripled in three years. In July, there was a slight decline, but now the numbers are equal to last year. And it affects independent tourists to a lesser extent. Last year AHHAA was visited by 192 thousand people. The decline in July was due to the fact that the cost of a visa for Pskov residents had risen, and many people who refused to travel said that this was the reason.

The paradox is that the cost of a visa has risen, but it is now easier to get a long-term visa (for a year, for three years). It would seem that everything accompanies the development of tourism in Pskov. There are beautiful lakes, protected areas and wonderful forests, but there is no rural tourism infrastructure. Nevertheless, the dynamics of development is colossal. There are four comfortable bases along Lake Peipus, with houses mostly made of logs, the same bases, even in larger numbers, are also present on Lake Pskov.

Rural tourism has developed very well in our country. We hold competitions, go on eco-holidays. There are examples of rural, farm tourism. The organizers of such bases, however, are a little afraid to go to the regional level, they create a website, and then nothing. We help them, we create communication systems. Moreover, each of these bases has its own zest: beekeeping, horse breeding and so on, - says Helena Samokhvalova.

As is known from the history of the industry, the concept of tourism development of Pskov was developed by the beginning of the 1970s. We decided to create a large modern hotel and prepare display facilities, and then develop the infrastructure for the finished base. In 1973, a new master plan for Pskov was adopted. This master plan tried to combine the extensive development of new territories and the development of the center of Pskov as a place with great tourism potential. The history of tourism development in Soviet Pskov in 1970-80 is connected with two state hotels. This is the Rizhskaya Hotel, the construction of which went on throughout the 70s. "Rizhskaya" successfully met the needs of 1980, but then it was decided that a new hotel was needed on the banks of the Great - this is our "Intourist", which is still being built. Construction was started at an unfortunate moment - the very end of the existence of the USSR. During 1991-92 everything stopped. The building was frozen.

In the late 1980s, Decree 816 "On the comprehensive reconstruction and restoration of historical and cultural monuments in Novgorod and Pskov" was adopted taking into account the development of tourism. The expectation is that Soviet people will visit each other from different cities, get to know the country and admire the restored monuments. We designate the 1990s as a new stage in the development of our country. Was it new to tourism? The main innovation is that not only connections, but also money began to play the main role, and, accordingly, if earlier you had to get yourself a ticket, then after 1990 you could buy it all. However, in general, Russia has not become an open tourist country. Russian hotel chains and travel agencies do not play a significant role in the global tourism market.

Now everything remains the same as it took shape by the end of the 1960s, experts say. Unless the trade unions have forgotten their tradition of organizing group vacations for labor collectives, so group tourism (which was previously provided by groups from factories and factories) was replaced by individual tourism. But a person gets to Pskov and realizes that he has got to the wrong place where he wants to stay longer than a couple of days - the range of tourist offers, unfortunately, is rather narrow.

“Putting two benches, covering the ground with paving stones does not mean starting the development of tourism. The bench loses its meaning if there is no Wi-Fi in the square area. Nearby there should be cafes, shops, souvenir shops. So that a person wants to sit down, relax after shopping,” says Marina Nikolaeva, head of the analytical department of the Institute for Regional Development. Pskov continues to live on the ideas of fifty years ago, she believes. A tourist does not expect surprises here, and they do not expect him here.

There will be no breakthrough, rapid development of tourism until the whole colossus of power and control levers unfolds in a new era. Nobody needs empty squares, something needs to be done, some kind of entertainment infrastructure must be introduced and only then equipped. It is not necessary to build in general for tourists, because if it is convenient for the locals, then it will be convenient for tourists.

Dmitry ZDORNIKOV