TOURISM SECTOR IN RUSSIA

Key Challenges

• Shortage of good quality hotels and recreational infrastructure;
• Transport accessibility to tourism hubs a problem;
• Low government spending in the sector limits the promotion of tourism facilities as a whole and of particular regions in the global market;
• Heavy deficit of qualified personnel able to offer high quality service to tourists;
• No efficient regulatory framework to attract private investments in the sector;
• Regions lack the required environment of entrepreneurship for expanding the tourism sector;
• Russia’s visa rules are too strict.

Beside the above challenges, one of the main problems which hinders Russian tourism industry development is the lack of a coherent marketing strategy for the promotion of a national tourism product.

What is required ?

1. Identification of target market (s). It is essential to identify target market(s) for the promotion of the country. It is also necessary to develop several alternative national tourism products oriented to different audiences.
2. Development of a positioning system oriented towards the creation of the country’s image. What differentiates Russia from other countries in the consumers’ mind?
3. To promote the Russian tourism product abroad, it is essential to develop a set of measures for facilitation of different matters, including passports and visas, customs and other formalities and regulations.
4. Today many Russian regions are actively promoting their tourism products abroad. However, promoting both the whole of Russia and its regions abroad largely hinges on concrete well-formulated strategic goals and marketing plans which are lacking.
5. There is a need for an active marketing support of national tourism product promotion abroad.  

Russian Federation International Activities (EU countries)

1. International Contracts of the Russian Federation in the field of Tourism: (Only 4 International Contracts have been signed with EU countries namely Greece, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia)
2. Participation in Exhibitions (2014): World Travel Market, London; TOP RESA, Paris; ITB, Berlin; BIT, Milan; BALTTOUR, Riga; FITUR, Madrid and MATKA, Helsinki
3. Intergovernmental Agreement on Cooperation in the field of tourism: Intergovernmental Agreements on Cooperation in the field of tourism : Austria (2002), Belgium (1975), Bulgaria (2007), Hungary (2002), Greece (1993), Spain (2006), Italy (2000), Cyprus (1994), Lithuania (1999), Malta (1995), Poland (2002), Portugal (2007), Romania (1993), Slovakia (1998),  France (2003), Croatia (2002)

Joint Action Programme Sample for International Contracts

The Parties, within the limits of their capacities and in accordance with their internal legislation agree to

• assist with expanding the tourist flows between Russia and XYZ Country;
• assist each other in the establishment of direct contacts between the Russian and the XYZ national tourism administrations and organizations;
• facilitate trade between their countries in accordance with their national legislation and without prejudice to their international obligations;
• cooperate in the following fields.

 National Tourism Promotion

1. The Parties will exchange experience and information with regard to tourism marketing and promotion projects;
2. The Parties will exchange information on religious tourism, congress tourism, eco-tourism, rural tourism, sports and health tourism;
3. The Parties will exchange tourism promotional material, including posters, slides, videos, CDs etc.
4. The Parties will exchange statistics and other information related to tourism;
5. The Parties will encourage efforts for the organization of mutual familiarization trips for journalists specialized in the field of tourism as well as for tour operators and travel agents;
6. The Parties will encourage efforts for the participation of both countries in international travel fairs, exhibitions, seminars, congresses and other tourism events, held in the territory of the other Party with the support of their respective national tourism administrations.

Tourism Education and Training

1. The Parties will encourage their cooperation in the field of tourism education and training;
2. The Parties will examine the possibility of exchanging experience and information regarding the training of personnel employed in the hotel and lodging industry in both countries.

Tourism Legislation

1. The Parties, subject to their capacities will exchange information on national tourism legislation, including specifications applied to the accommodation facilities and the quality control system in the field of tourism.

Tourism Investments

1. The Parties will exchange information on tourism investment projects in both countries;
2. The Parties will encourage cooperation between their respective tourism investment departments.