Opportunities for the potential development of the tourism industry, our country is able to amaze anyone. We have everything from seas and oceans, mountains and rivers to wonderful historical cities and picturesque villages. What other country in the world can boast of such diversity? But in reality, such rich opportunities are practically not realized. In the rating lists of the world devoted to tourism, the place of the Russian Federation is somewhere at the end of the fifth dozen. How did it happen? Let's look at the main problems in the field of tourism in our country.
Unfortunately, this fails to single out the only reason for the discrepancy between the level of opportunities and the degree of their implementation. Of those - a whole bunch. Below is the main one from why the vast majority of tourists in the world do not consider Russia as a desirable object for fascinating travels. Moreover, the same factors do not cause a surge of enthusiasm among compatriots.
Transport infrastructure and tourism problems
The enormous length of the territory of our country, oddly enough, played a negative rather than a positive role in the development of tourism. Judge for yourself: the journey from the northern to the southern extreme point in our country can take at least seven days by train - not too comfortable in domestic conditions and, frankly, quite exhausting. The cost of train tickets is by no means cheap, and the conditions, unfortunately, are very far from ideal. It is with this that many problems of tourism development in Russia are associated.
Russian Railways periodically takes measures to update the train, and yet the condition of most cars scares away not only Western travelers who are used to civilized conditions, but also much more hardy compatriots.
It would seem that you can use an alternative option - air travel. But here things are even more sad. Comparing the prices of airline tickets within the country with those that exist in Europe, tourists fall into a real shock. For example, a flight from one European country to another (say, from the Czech Republic to France) will cost 60-80 euros. If you plan a trip from Moscow to Siberia, consumption will triple. Of course, you should take into account the distance, but still the prices bite.
We can’t be proud of the automotive infrastructure either. Everyone is aware of the condition of our roads. A number of regions are characterized by their almost complete absence, which, of course, does not add enthusiasm to our travelers. And western tourists, having experienced once or twice all the charms of a car trip on the roads of Russia, rarely return to this idea again.
About proper positioning
The tourism industry is as much a business as many others. And the problems of modern tourism are solved by proper positioning, which plays one of the leading roles here. But just for this part in our country there are great difficulties. "At the hearing" of tourists - only a few generally accepted places to visit. Apart from Moscow and St. Petersburg, it is mainly Sochi - the recognized leader in southern recreation and the "classic of the genre" - the most picturesque lake Baikal.
But does this exhaust the list of wonderful places in our country suitable for recreation? Indeed, sometimes not every Russian is aware of the same Golden Ring, not to mention foreign tourists. An elementary lack of information about the many beautiful historical cities and places with interesting sights affects the most sad way for the development of the tourism industry.
We are not in the know either …
If you can somehow understand the very depressing situation with foreign tourism, then what prevents the development of domestic tourism? Indeed, many Russians could travel with pleasure to the beautiful and remarkable places of their own country. Meanwhile, the rate of development of domestic tourism is a very miserable figure for us - a little more than 1%. For comparison: the vast majority of civilized countries can boast of such in the range of 10 to 12%.
What can solve such problems of tourism in Russia? As in any type of business, much depends on competent branding. Advertising and advertising again! National attractions must be shown and described, proposals for their inspection and visit must be properly prepared and available at each travel agency. People need to explain the advantages of domestic holiday destinations over foreign resorts.
Why is no one doing this? Perhaps the reasons for such silence are the following factors.
No centralized management
Absolutely any developed country has a separate department or ministry, whose task is tourism (problems, prospects). It is in this area that issues affecting the reconstruction of its most significant objects are being addressed, ways to attract travelers and methods of advertising campaigns are discussed. In our country, the legislation does not provide for the existence of this body.
Thus, tourism remains “ownerless” with us. Its supervision periodically falls under the jurisdiction of either the Ministry of Culture or the Ministry of Sports. This affects all levels - from federal to regional. If somewhere (the Arkhangelsk region can serve as an example), the tourist niche is mainly under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Sports, one can observe serious distortions towards one of its forms to the detriment of other areas.
In the absence of a unified management base and very weak state support, tourism is actually placed in conditions of survival on the principles of self-sufficiency. Of course, with such data, counting on the rapid development of the industry and the powerful flow of visitors is simply not serious.
Regional tourism: problems and development prospects
Throughout the world, the phenomenon of regional tourism has long and firmly won leading positions in the structure of the industry. Trips to the most interesting places of any country are very popular. Small villages, cozy houses, campsites, barbecue facilities, tourist camps - all this attracts a huge number of travelers. But not with us. State investments in the development of regional tourism in our country have not yet been observed, and one can only guess about the reasons for this.
Meanwhile, the prospects for the development of this type of tourism in wide domestic open spaces are simply excellent. Currently, they are implemented mainly "pointwise" at the initiative of individuals and individual entrepreneurs. An example is the village of Vyatskoye, located in the Yaroslavl region. With the support of the local administration, an entrepreneurial businessman at his own expense opened and contains a number of national museums. Visitors can get acquainted with Russian amusements, visit a real bathhouse, etc.
With the proper level of information, connoisseurs of such a holiday would find very, very much. After all, such tourist sites adorn every country. In practice, the project is known only to a narrow circle of connoisseurs.
About profile tourism
What kind of tourism does not exist in the world! You can talk for a long time and interestingly about eco-and bicycle tourism, its extreme forms, travels with the camera to interesting places. We have heard of all these exotic destinations. Only that type of tourism that is associated with recreation is popular in Russia. Meanwhile, in practice, it has been proved that the state’s profits come mainly from its specialized varieties. And those who are concerned about the development of the tourism business in Russia should think in this direction - what to invent, find, invent in order to attract satiated travelers? How to solve these specific problems of tourism development in domestic conditions?
About our hotels
In the opinion of Western tourists, Russia has only two types of hotels - either luxurious, but very expensive, or relatively cheap, but absolutely uncomfortable. Sounds pretty logical. The vast majority of Russian hotels still exist at the level of the Soviet Union. That is, it provides a minimum of service with the lack of those modern amenities that are so familiar to spoiled western tourists.
Another variety is hotels of an elite level with prices from $ 800 and above. Of course, this option, due to its high cost, is not available to most vacationers.
An example of an excellent solution to such problems is the Czech Republic. Constantly traveling travelers know many cozy small family-type hotels, as well as inexpensive hostels. In this direction, with the proper level of attention and care from the state, our economy could develop.
Information curtain as an obstacle
In the eyes of Western inhabitants, for decades, Russia has been and remains surrounded by legends and myths of the most fantastic sense. Until now, a certain part of Europeans associates our country with a standard set of bears, balalaika and Russian vodka. Of course, with such ideas, few dare to go to the wild with harsh aggressive residents and an unfriendly climate. This is what a lack of information can lead to!
The modern lifestyle of our compatriots, the rich cultural traditions of the country, the many interesting places and sights that can be seen here - all this remains “behind the scenes” for most of those who live outside Russian borders. Tourism problems can be solved only by breaking the "information blockade".
The negative role of sanctions
The tourist flow to our country has significantly decreased due to the recent political events, in particular due to the introduction of well-known sanctions. The disapproval of the foreign policy of our country led to a logical consequence - the refusal to support the Russian economy. In the West, they continue to impose an artificial image of the aggressor country. Potential tourists are intimidated by the danger of traveling to a militarized state with a complete lack of freedom of speech.
An amazing fact: many Westerners seriously believe that under the influence of sanctions in Russia, food stalls are practically empty. Tourists are afraid to go to a hungry country - what do they eat there?
Where do Russians prefer to relax?
Despite the permanent crisis, domestic tourists are hard to stop. Travels of an entertaining and educational nature have not been canceled. True, most trips are undertaken abroad. As already mentioned, domestic tourism in the vast expanses of the Fatherland is completely not popular, and in the foreseeable future there are no forecasts for a change in this sad situation.
But why are compatriots so unpatriotic? After all, the country's territory has many climatic zones for every taste. For travel around the country, additional documents and tourist visas are not required.
The answer is simple: it’s all a financial matter. According to estimates, a decent rest abroad can be much cheaper than in domestic resorts.
Here is a typical example. In Moscow in recent years, the tourist destination has been actively developed and advertised, but for most Russians the capital of their homeland is still inaccessible. In the last five years, no more than 5% of compatriots visited it as tourists. The reason lies in the exorbitant high cost of living and recreation in the conditions of the native capital. Hotels in Moscow are not affordable for most visitors from the provinces.
How much does it cost to spend the night in the capital
Even a night in a Moscow hostel will cost you no less than 500-600 rubles. At the same time, they will huddle in a room for 8-10 people. If you want to reserve a room for 2-4 people, it will cost from 1000 rubles. and higher.
Approximately the same situation in St. Petersburg. The price of a hostel there can reach a mark comparable to the cost of a single room in an average level hotel in Europe (three- or four-star).
Traditionally, in Moscow there was such a direction as children's tourism. Schoolchildren were brought centrally on vacation and introduced to the capital's attractions. But in recent years, the flow of children coming to the capital has dried up noticeably for the same financial reasons. Accommodation of small tourists in the capital overnight is a serious problem. In most cases, they are brought no more than a day - during the winter holidays. Children who spent about 10 hours on the train only have time to formally familiarize themselves with the main attraction of Moscow - Red Square, as well as take a look at the Kremlin Christmas Tree. A more detailed acquaintance with the capital is hindered by the same lack of places for accommodation at affordable prices.
