The Complex Development Program for Tourism Moscow for the Period up to the Year 2010

The Complex Development Program for Tourism Moscow for the Period up to the Year 2010         

I.            INTRODUCTION         

II.         ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION AND SUBSTANTIATION OF THE PROGRAM GOALS AND PROBLEMS                                

1.            Analysis of the Situation in the Field of Tourism in Moscow

1.1    The Role of Tourism as a Branch of Economy in the World. 
1.2    World Tendencies of Tourism.  
1.3.   Estimation of Existing State of Entrance Tourism and Tourist Infrastructure in the City of Moscow. 
1.4    Appeal for Moscow to foreign tourist, and negative factors affecting development of entrance tourism.      

III.            BASIC PURPOSES AND PROBLEMS OF THE PROGRAM      

IV.           SYSTEM OF PROGRAM EVENTS                               

1.            Image of Moscow as a city favourable for tourism. Advertising, publicity and information work. Creation of a comfortable information environment for tourists.                               

2.            Development of the tourism infrastructure and material base.                               

3.            Creation of tourist product for the City of Moscow.                               

4.            Creation of conditions for the development of tourism. State support of tourism in Moscow.                               

5.            Training, retraining and advanced training of experts in various spheres of tourist business.                               

6.            Scientific backing of tourist activities.  
 

INTRODUCTION

Complex Tourism Development Program in the city of Moscow (hereinafter referred to as Program) is developed by the order of the Mayor of Moscow and contains the most urgent offers and events on their fulfillment in order to create a legal, managerial, administrative, and economic environment favorable for further development of the tourist industry in Moscow.  
 
The Moscow City Government attributes the special importance to development of tourism, considering it as a factor capable to decide not only many social and economic problems of the city, but also to ensure a certain provision of the capital of Russia in a row of the cities most attractive for tourists from all over the world.  
 
In May 1996, when accepting a development program for the hotel industry, the Moscow City Government defined tourism as a priority direction in the economy of the city. The purpose of the present Program is to create actual conditions for transformation of the tourism industry into a key industry of the economy of Moscow.  
 
The program provides a solution of the problem of interaction in a uniform tourist space of Moscow as a part of the central part of Russia and other regions of the Russian Federation. The program has complex character and is intended to intensify the tourist industry, stabilize process of the market relations, as well as to strengthen the influence of the state upon development of tourism the industry.  
 
The program is implemented at the expense of budgetary and extra-budgetary financial sources, as well as at the expense of investments to the projects and events of the Program. The program is prepared by Committee of Tourism of the Moscow City Government with participation of Committee of Foreign Trade of the Moscow City Government , other structural subdivisions of the Moscow City Government , State Joint-Stock company "Moskva", Moscow Association of Travel Agencies, Higher School of Tourism and hotel economy, State museum "Kolomenskoe", ZAO "Sputnik", experts of other tourism higher educational institutions, heads of enterprises of hotel tourist complex.

ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION AND SUBSTANTIATION OF THE PROGRAM GOALS AND PROBLEMS

I. ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION AND SUBSTANTIATION OF THE PROGRAM GOALS AND PROBLEMS 
 
1. ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION IN THE FIELD OF TOURISM IN MOSCOW 
 
1. The Role of Tourism as a Branch of Economy in the World. 
 
For a long time, tourism is considered as one of the most profitable and intensively developing branches of the world economy. This is confirmed by the fact that the share of tourism is about 10% of the world's gross national income. By the beginning of the third millenium, the share of international tourism was 8% of total volume of the global export and 30-35% of the world's services sales. Total expenses for domestic and international tourism amount to 12% of the world's total national products.  
 
Development of tourism plays an important role in solution of social problems. In many countries of the world, new workplaces are created, the high life standards of the population is maintained, the reasons for improvement of the payment balance of the country are created just at the expense of tourism.  
 
The necessity of development of the sphere of tourism promotes raise of educational level, perfecting of the health care system, introduction of the new means for dissemination of information, etc. Tourism exerts influence upon conservation and development of the cultural potential, conducts to harmonization of relations between different countries and nations, makes governments, public organizations and commercial structures to participate actively in protection and improvement of the environment.  
 
The modern state of tourism in Russia is characterized by presence of drastic contradictions in its organizational structure, in the direction of development, in the picture of qualitative and quantitative characteristics. On the one hand, the modern state of Russian tourism is regarded as crisis, connected with drastic fall of the parameters of tourist services achieved before, reduction of material base of the tourist branch and significant non-conformity to the population's needs in tourist services. On the other hand, the high rates of construction of tourist objects meeting the highest international standards, substantial growth of foreign trips taken by the Russian people, growth of the number of tourist organizations all over the territory of Russia should be noted.  
 
Under the forecast made by World Tourist Organization, by 2020 Russia can enter the first ten countries most popular for tourism. According to the WTO experts, the Russian Federation takes the 15th place in global classification by foreigners' visits, that constitutes 2.5 % of the global market of entrance tourism. The gain in percentage terms in 1999 as compared with 1998 amounted to 5.23 %. Before the crisis, tourism was one of the most profitable and dynamically developing branches of the Russian economy, and it was developing, practically, without state participation.  
 
According to the World Tourist Organization's data, in the terms of income from tourism, Russia held the 9th place in 1999 and the 15th place in the world, having outstripped Greece, Turkey, Belgium and Netherlands.  
 
As per average estimations of different organizations, because of absence of statistical data on tourist business in Russia for recent years, by the beginning of 1998 there were 9-12 thousand tourist organizations in Russia.  
 
The number of people who are directly or indirectly employed in the system of hospitality services (taking into account the employees of tourist agencies, hotels, airports, forwarding companies, museums, cafe, restaurants etc.) had reached 8 million people. The volume of services rendered to foreign tourists in Russia in the last year is valued, as the minimum, as 1 milliard US dollars (the tourists' expenses for residence in hotels and other accommodation facilities, food costs, excursion service, cultural and entertainment actions, souvenirs etc.)  
 
Now, about 17.5 million foreigners visit Russia every year (but with the purpose of tourism - only 2.5 million per year, i.e. 14.3 % of the total amount), that is equal to approx. 2.5 % of the world flow. In these situation, the Moscow City Government stakes absolutely correctly at development of tourism regarding it as a factor capable to decide not only many social and economic problems of the city, but also to secure the certain position of the capital of Russia in a row of the cities most attractive for the world tourists.  
 
2. World Tendencies of Tourism 
 
The people of elderly age represent the most intensively growing segment of the tourists all over the world. They have enough funds but they are very exacting to service level. The demand for group trips is being reduced and the individual tourism is being intensified.  
 
The bus routes have increasing demand. The offer for the family tourists in quantity of 5-6 people and for small friendly campaigns is growing. The offer of specialized trips is growing. The entertainment component in incentive tourism has been recently being superseded by educational one. The incentive trips should not be luxurious and idle, but intensive and useful. Tourist companies prefer to include conducting congresses as one of the components of incentive programs.  
 
The tourism activity when the purpose of trip is business, in particular, holding congresses, is included into the number of most dynamically developing and most favorable types of trips.  
 
The annual rates of growth of this kind of tourism in the world are 8%. It gives twice more income to the accepting side than tourism when the purpose of trip is rest. Greater demand is attributed to short-term trips to cities, and week-end trips. The active forms of rest have definitively superseded passive ones. In this connection, adventure and sports trips become more and more popular. As one of the most perspective kinds of tourism, one should consider ecotourism, - rest in quiet corners of untouched nature. The tourism trips to specialized sports and cultural events is growing, especially, in the market of the USA and Japan.  
 
3. Estimation of Existing State of Entrance Tourism and Tourist Infrastructure in the City of Moscow.  
 
For the city of Moscow, tourism has the special importance by virtue of a number of circumstances of political and social and economic plan. Moscow is capital of the Russian Federation, and that, in itself, is already a special circumstance in terms of formation and realization of tourist policy for the city.  
 
Practically, no other city of Russia can compete with Moscow in popularity in the world, that is a positive factor when arranging the work to form a steady image of Moscow as a tourist center. Moscow, having the richest recreational resources and centuries-old cultural and historical heritage, occupies a special place in the tourist market and calls interest in the foreigners.  
 
Most tourists from distant foreign countries choose Moscow as the basic target of their trip. It should be noted that more than 70% of the foreigners coming to Russia necessarily visit Moscow. There are many objects of interest in Moscow and Moscow region. Architecture masterpieces, museums, theatres, churches and cathedrals, modern and historical buildings and other unique objects attract to Moscow the tourists practically from all countries of the world.  
 
Moscow is a link between cities and regions of the country. All railway and air ways of Russia, automobile lines are crossing here. Currently, there are more than 170 hotels and 4.5 thousand tourist agencies in Moscow.  
 
Moscow has practically all the possibilities to become a center of world-wide cultural and cognitive tourism. However, as an object of tourism, Moscow today loses competition with other capitals of the world. Volume of services in Moscow reaches about 1 million foreign tourists annually, whereas for Paris, this index amounts to 25 million tourists, and for London - 18 million.  
 
Any city which is a popular tourist direction, prospers economically and is in more favorable position in comparison with cities having an undeveloped tourist infrastructure. In this connection, improvement of tourist infrastructure with respect to the basic components of the tourist service system, such as transport availability, hotel sector, food industry, information services to the tourists, system of tourist products promotion to the global market, manpower skills, level and variety of tourist services, creation of new tourist routes, development of congress and exhibition activity, conducting mass cultural and sports actions (festivals, olympiads, anniversaries), tourists safety matters and the regulatory and legal base caused the growth in the number of foreign tourists.  
 
Objectively, there have been considerable changes in the field of tourist infrastructure in Moscow for last years. The number of new comfortable hotel complexes has increased. Large work in reconstruction and updating of existing hotel fund of the city is conducted, in order for it to achieve the conventional international standards.  
 
In 1992-1995, the economic situation did not allow the municipal hotel facilities to develop. The enterprises solved a problem to survive in the heavy conditions, - the cost of heat supply and other public utilities had increased, that's why the loading did not exceed 50%. But the management of hotels reluctantly determined upon reduction of the number of full-time staff. Years 1995 to 1998 were marked by a new stage of growth of business activity of both foreign and Russian investors, that resulted in entering into operation of new hotels in Moscow: "Tver", "Palas Hotel", "Grand Hotel", "Hotel Vinogradovo", "Aurora-Lux", "Ekaterina", "Proton". "Golden Ring" hotel was entered into operation after reconstruction.  
 
For those years, a niche of hotels so necessary for the city was practically filled, - a niche of 4-5-stars-level hotels. The reason of investments to high quality hotels is their high profitability rates and fast recoupment of the funds invested. For today, Moscow has not enough hotels of middle class, 2-3-stars-level hotels designed for average tourists, and cheap hotels (including those for development of youth tourism).  
 
The hotel pool of Moscow comprises 172 hotel enterprises of various ownership form and administrative belonging. The loading of hotels in 1999 had increased up to 56 percents. Volume of income from hotel facilities in 1999 amounted to 7 milliard rubles. 
 
In the total number of hotels and other similar accommodation facilities of the Russian Federation, the share of Moscow is only 4%, and lumpsum capacity is 18.4% with respect to number of places and 20% with respect to number of rooms. But with respect to number of nights reserved by all categories of visitors, the capital's share was more than 31% in 1999, and for foreign citizens, - 52%.  
 
However, despite of the increase of hotel base, quantity of visitors of. Moscow does not grow, but even decreases, although the rates being less (23.4 % in Russia on the whole against 13.2 % in Moscow for last three years). Simultaneously, the share of foreigners in total amount of services in the hotel base of the city of Moscow grows and was equal 27.4 % against the average of 16.5 % all over Russia in 1999.  
 
Profitability of the Moscow hotel complex is high and it is about 30.5 %, that being more then the all-Russian index in 1.7 times. In May, 1996, the Moscow City Government accepted a hotel and tourism complex (HTC) development program for the period till 2005, where tourism is defined as a priority direction in municipal economy. For today, the city's needs in high quality hotels of the category of 5 stars meeting the international standards, are completely satisfied. At the same time, there are not enough hotels of middle class (3 stars) for reception and accommodation of mass clients.  
 
According to the experts, Moscow should increase the hotel fund, as minimum, in 2-3 times. Apart from building new hotels, reconstruction of old hotels, such as "Moscow", "Ukraine", "Budapest", "Beijing" is provided, as well as cardinal reconstruction and re-equip of the other municipal hotels.  
 
In Moscow, set of the enterprises of food supply is actively extending. Now, their number is more than 500. Plenty of restaurants of foreign companies "McDonald's", "Pizza Huts", "Patio-pizza" has appeared, as well as a set of national restaurants, - Chinese, Italian, Greek, Turkish and other cuisines.  
 
Transport takes an important place in tourist infrastructure. Moscow is the largest airunit of Russia. It has five airports: Sheremetievo-1, Sheremetievo-2, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Bykovo. Sheremetievo-2 is an international airport. Some charter voyages within the framework of exit tourism are discharged from Vnukovo and Domodedovo. For last years, Moscow has became a large business center not only in scale of Russia, but also on global level, that is reconfirmed by activity of foreign and Russian investors and constant conducting of large exhibitions and congress events in Moscow.  
 
A major element of tourist business are tourist agencies which are organizing and providing reception of foreign tourists. However, the number of such firms is still insignificant. Conducting a state policy on support and development of such firms is required. Thus, in today's Moscow, the definite base for service of entrance tourism is created and operating, which is sufficiently advanced but requires rather large expenses for its updating and perfecting.  
 
In 1989, Moscow was visited by about 3.9 million foreigners, including 1.6 million people with tourist purpose. It is approximately in 3.5 times more than for last years. Moscow remains to be the absolute leader among the other Russian cities in respect of the number of coming foreign tourists. However, a rate of organized group tourists in St.-Petersburg is a little bit higher. This circumstance should be taken into account when planning advertising and information work to promote Moscow as a city of cultural and cognitive tourism.  
 
The data on quantity of nights reserved by foreigners in hotels of the city are very representative. So, for example, according to Mosgorcomstat (Moscow Municipal Committee on Statistics) data, 5,064,685 nights were reserved in Moscow in 1999. In respect of quantity of arrivals, Moscow loose to the largest cities and capitals of the world, although the number of coming foreign visitors is great and exceeds the similar indexes in some countries.  
 
In 1999, services of 170 Moscow hotels were rendered to 889,576 foreign visitors from more than 163 countries of the world. According to the experts, average time of stay of domestic visitors who had a night stay in hotels and other similar accommodation facilities of Moscow is 5 days. Foreign citizens, as per the frontier statistics data, spend in Moscow 4.38 days on the average, and 4.5 - 5.5 days in the accommodation facilities.  
 
Though citizens from a rather numerous circle of the countries were accommodated in hotels, determining importance is attributed, especially with respect to organized tourism, to arrivals and night stays of tourists from the limited number of countries, - USA, Germany, Great Britain, France, Spain, Israel, Italy and Japan.  
 
Tourist flow to Russia and Moscow is quite easy to predict. Most popular for trips are the summer months. The lowest rates of visits are in the period of January to March. A little bit larger flows are in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, we have no possibility to compare activity pattern of business trips by seasons in comparison to tourist trips, nevertheless, it is possible to make a conclusion that loading of hotels and the tourist activity in the city in the out-of-business period should be projected either on the basis of activation of conducting of cultural actions and measures, or on popularization of Moscow as a city of congress, exhibition, and business tourism.  
 
Structure of the foreign visitors flow to Moscow considerably differs from domestic (all-Russian) one. The basic contingent is constituted by visitors with business purpose - 57%, - and with the purpose of tourism, - almost 32%. Whereas, for Russia as a whole, the share of visiting with the private purposes, - 56%, - prevails, and the percentage of visitors with business and tourist purposes is only 19.3% and 14.4% respectively. Those directions will determine development of entrance tourism in future as well.  
 
The analysis shows that, despite of significant efforts of the Moscow City Government to create positive image of the city, opening new comfortable hotels, the flow of foreigners visiting the city has not increased, and even decreased, given that for Russia as a whole it has increased. The calculations prove that the visitors flow to Moscow (both domestic and foreign) who stay at accommodation facilities, is about 3 million people (1999), including approx. 0.89 million foreigners.  
 
According to statistical data of the frontier service, the number of foreigners is a little bit more than 1.1 million persons, as a significant share of those who comes by private invitations and a part of other categories stays at their relatives' place, their friends' place, at private flats which are not taken into account by the statistical data on accommodation facilities.  
 
Except for those who stay in hotels, cultural and tourist zones of Moscow are visited by many tourists (one-day visitors without night stay), - the city and suburb residents. Comparison of scales of tourism development in Moscow with other large capitals of the world countries that are centers of tourism shows that even now Moscow already holds a honorable place among them. However, there are many reserves for further development, especially, in the part of increase of the foreign visitors flow and loadings the hotel base.  
 
4. Appeal for Moscow to foreign tourists, and negative factors affecting development of entrance tourism 
 
Tourism as a whole represents such branch of economy that allows, at rather small investments, to provide economically profitable use of "local resources" - historical and cultural heritage, traditions, nature. Therefore, for conditions of Moscow, an absolutely right choice is preference of the tourist development of the city as priority in comparison with its industrial development. It implies maximum release of the basic tourist zones (generally, the Center) from industrial enterprises and public utility and warehouse facilities.  
 
Taking into account the general state of the Russian economy and, in particular, situations in Moscow, "export of strong points" of the city is, at least for next some years, more simple and efficient form of participation in differentiation of labor, than participation in industrial competition where our production does not meet challenges of the world market yet.  
 
Analysis of Moscow's resources in accordance with the above-listed factors testifies that the city has wide enough potential of tourist offer based on unique resources. It is necessary to note that the Moscow region (Moscow and Moscow suburb area) has the largest historical and cultural potential in the country. The number of objects of interest is 38% of all-Russian one (for comparison: St. Petersburg, Novgorod and Pskov area have only 16%). Among them, more than 200 objects are entered into the UN Register.  
 
Appeal of Moscow as an object of tourism is determined by the following factors.  
 
1. Huge historical and cultural heritage of the city which is inextricably related with the history and culture of all Russia  
 
2. Largest hotel tourism complex (over 72 thousand hotel rooms, 4500 tourism agencies, 13 insurance companies, 16 automobile enterprises, etc.)  
 
3. The transport system determines Moscow to be a starting point of tourist routes to historical and cultural objects of Moscow area and the cities of Golden Ring.  
 
4. The place to held international congresses, symposiums, seminars, exhibitions, fairs, festivals, - it is a base for development of business and congress tourism in the capital.  
 
5. An international cultural center where more than 60 museums and 40 theatres, 2 circuses etc. are concentrated.  
 
6. The largest center of Russian Orthodox Church (in the city, there are more than 130 churches), - it's a reason for development of religious tourism.  
 
7. In Moscow, international competitions in various kinds of sports are conducted.  
 
8. Events connected to the history and culture of Russia.  
 
9. Tourists' trips to the capital can be combined with river and sea cruises.  
 
10. The world-wide popularity of Russian medicine and rather low (in comparison with world-wide rates) prices attract the foreigners with a possibility for conducting medical treatment in Moscow. 
 
Unfortunately, at present, a number of negative factors affects the development of entrance tourism: Low competitiveness of old accommodation pool. Poor assortment of tourist services. The significant duration of "lifeless season" speaks about failure to organize the tourist offer, cycles of recreational occupation in view of individual and group demands of the consumers. Absence of a complex sight at the character and specificity of Moscow as a tourist place A flow of negative information in foreign mass media about Russia, including Moscow, as a country adverse for tourism. Because of the constrained financing, the promotional activity abroad to strengthen the tourist image of the city is conducted in inadequate extent. The infrastructure of HTC of the city is insufficiently advanced, its state still does not meet the international standards in tourism. There is a problem of shortage of hotel rooms and small hotels of middle class, category 3 stars. In this connection, realization of project to create a network of hotels of small capacity has been started in Moscow. The necessity of its creation is caused by both formation of business and tourist appeal of the city and expansion of accommodation and rest zones in immediate proximity from the objects of tourists' interest, business centers, cultural and historical sights of the city, as well as sites of holding large international exhibitions, symposiums, congresses and festivals, international sports competitions. There is no program of support of tourist agencies engaged in entrance tourism. The state of urban infrastructure and, first of all, its transport component, can not promote development of tourism. It includes, in particular, the shortage of modern buses of various capacity for the tourists, and absence of parking lots, and low level of urban transport services (for example, taxi). The criminal situation in Moscow, as well as questions of ensuring their safety and security, is a matter of the foreign tourists' concern. Rather low level of health services under insurance policies in case of disease during stay in Moscow; and some other, less essential, factors. The causes of those negative factors consist in the following:  
 
1. Dissociation of efforts on development of internal tourism, absence of interest to introduction of mechanisms of economic cooperation and control.  
 
2. Languid and sometimes incorrect technique of organization of joint ventures and joint enterprises with participation of foreign investors.  
 
3. Political and economic instability in the country.  
 
4. The orientation for commercial tourism obligatory had to influence upon reduction of the sizes of deductions from tourist activity to the municipal budget, redistribution of the incomes for the benefit of black economy. Elite tourism of rich loners did not call tourist boom, made dead the vast assets and in hundreds times reduced the floating assets in the field of tourism. Transporting is suspended, there is no pilgrimage to museums, exhibition halls.  
 
5. The remoteness from the basic West-European capitals does not allow to use bus routes widely. Trips to Russia are connected to the air transportation, that fact sharply increases their cost.  
 
6. Weakly displayed tourist flows, economic importance of which was difficult to predict. 
 
The conclusion should be made about unsatisfactory use by state bodies of their control function that determines the policy of the city in the sphere of tourism, acting as an organizer and manager of tourist development. The internal tourist market conjuncture has been affected by the following factors, in general:  
 
1. Too large share of transport component in the total trip cost that makes noncompetitive the offers in domestic market in comparison with foreign trips;  
 
2. Insufficient use of the discounts system for transport and accommodation orientates domestic tourist operators' attention at the foreign markets;  
 
3. Significant growth of the offer cost in domestic market which has reached the international level given lower quality of service, that also stimulates reorientation of the demand at foreign trips;  
 
4. Reduction of general mobility of the population; the share of people spending the holiday in their summer cottages, at their relatives and friends' places, increased more than in 2 times; up to 60% of the population spend the holiday at home;  
 
5. The system of the branch management is destroyed that has resulted in its dissolving into separate parts, loss of coordination of objects activity, liquidation of regional routes;  
 
6. Shortage in skilled managerial staff capable to work in the new economic conditions. The difference of the metropolitan tourist offer from the analogues, a lot of which are offered in the market, is the fact that there is a unique possibility in Moscow to combine various kinds of tourism. Being a center of business, financial, political, scientific, spiritual and cultural life of Russia, Moscow is receiving unique possibilities to develop the most perspective kinds of tourism in all the available forms. The existing possibilities to develop various kinds of tourism allow to make the offer essentially various, and raise competitiveness of tourist products of Moscow. The spectrum of tourist offer of the capital is wide enough and can be based, first of all, on the saved fragments of historical and architectural environment of the city, the monuments of architecture, engineering art, history, archeology and culture. Natural possibilities of the nearby areas where objects belonging to Moscow enterprises and institutions are located, allow to extend the traditional offer at the expense of organization of short-term departures from the capital to the open country. The development of tourism is favored also by convenient geographical location of Moscow which is connected with the other historical and cultural monuments and cities with straight river, automobile, and railway communication. For correct determination of the basic directions and scales of tourism development in Moscow, it is expedient to analyze the common tendencies of tourism development in historical cities (offering a similar product), including being based on foreign experience. From the point of view of organization of tourist travels in Moscow two opposite tendencies are noted:  
 
1. In internal tourism (Russian citizens to Moscow), the tendency will be shown, characteristic for the majority of other countries of the world, too, - development of individual tourism, travelling by families or in other small groups. The determining factor in this case is a beforehand provided possibility of freedom choice of a route and changing its program, that is quite easy to realize in small number of tourists. It is necessary to use actively the mechanism of discounts for group routes in transport, food and accommodation enterprises for stimulation of group trips in the internal tourism.  
 
2. In entrance tourism, the share of the group tourists is higher than among internal visitors. It is partly caused by dissemination of negative information about Russia in the Western mass media, therefore, the tourists in a large group of compatriots feel more confidently than in a small collective. The definite role is also played by the price factor, as there are group discounts.

BASIC PURPOSES AND PROBLEMS OF THE PROGRAM

  The main strategic purpose of the Program consists in formation in Moscow of competitive tourist-recreational branch as one of leading, priority branches of economy providing, on the one hand, demand of the consumers (both Russian and foreign) for satisfaction of their needs in tourist-recreational services, and on the other hand, significant contribution to social and economic development of the region at the expense of increase of profitable part of the local budget, inflow of investments, increase of workplaces number, improvement of the population health, conservation and rational use of the cultural, historical, and natural heritage. The Program developers proceeds from the model of steady tourism. Steady tourism a model of economic development in the following purposes:   
 
1. Increase of the income from tourism, perfecting of the taxation system. The municipal budget should be formed substantially at the expense of revenues from tourist activity in Moscow: 10% by 2010.   
 
2. Raise of the life standard of local population, welfare of the Muscovites. Use of the social role of tourism (rest of Russian people, establishing social contacts and communication between people).   
 
3. Inflow of investments and creation of new workplaces.   
 
4. Ensuring comfortable conditions of stay for the tourists.   
 
5. Growth of national self-esteem as a result of hospitality and referring to the cultural and historical heritage.   
 
As primary goals, the program notes:   
 
1. Determining of the basic areas of activity of the Moscow City Government in control over the tourist resources and tourist industry.   
 
2. Formation of legislative base of the tourist branch.   
 
3. Development of free enterprise in the field of tourism, and, first of all, development of small and average business.   
 
4. Stimulation of development of material base of the tourism branch by engaging Russian and foreign investments for reconstruction of acting objects and creation of new tourist objects and accommodation facilities.   
 
5. The development of tourism infrastructure necessary for raise of competitiveness of Moscow in the international and internal tourist markets, that, in turn, will have an effect on development of the social infrastructure of the city.   
 
6. Creation of conditions for development of tourist zones in the territory of Moscow and adjoining regions of Russia on the basis of agreements in the field of tourism. New construction and reconstruction of acting tourist objects, such as museums, memorial places, objects of interest, architectural monuments, garden and park ensembles, etc. Putting into order the historical places in the city, which are frequently visited by tourists.   
 
7. Development of event tourism basing on attraction of mass contingent of tourists, using some event in the city life. Formation of an event tourism program (congresses, festivals, competitions, urban holidays, etc.). Development of key, "sign" events of year and duly informing on them.   
 
8. Revival of social tourism in Moscow, raising internal tourism in the city and on this base, - raising of life standard of the population, harmonization of social and public life, revival of interest to fatherland, successful solution of questions of conservation of historical and cultural heritage and protection of natural environment.   
 
9. Transformation of the capital into a modern international center of business activity, attraction of business tourists from abroad and other regions of Russia, as business tourists are the most solvent category of tourists, and the business tourism is most suitable for the conditions of a modern city.   
 
10. Conducting an active advertising and information work directed at formation of image of Moscow as the largest center of tourism in the world, and promotion of such the image in the Russian and international tourist markets.   
 
The program is designed for the period till 2010, and includes short-term, intermediate and long-term activities. The first stage: 2000-2001 - drawing up the feasibility studies of the large projects and realization of priorities. The second stage: 2001-2005 - realization of intermediate term projects and programs. The third stage: 2005-2010 - realization of long-term projects and annual programs.

Comprehensive program of development of tourism in city to Moscow. 
The analysis of a situation both substantiation of the purposes and problems of the program. 
The analysis of a situation in the field of tourism in Moscow. 
Attractiveness of Moscow for the foreign tourists and negative factors that influent in development of entry tourism.

  The tourism as a whole represents such branch of economy, which allows at rather small capital investments to ensure economically profitable use "of local resources" - history-cultural heritage, traditions, nature. Therefore for conditions of Moscow absolute lawful the choice of tourist development of city is as priority in relation to its industrial development. Thus the maximal clearing of the basic tourist zones (in the basic City Centre) from the industrial enterprises and public-warehouse structures is stipulated. Taking into account a general condition of the Russian economy and, in particular, situation in Moscow, "the export of advantages" cities is, at least, the coming years the more simple and effective form of participation in an economic division of labour, than the participation in an industrial competition, where our production does not meet yet to standards of the world market.

  The analysis of resources of Moscow according to the listed factors speaks that the city has rather wide potential of the tourist offer based unique resources.

  It is necessary to note, that the Moscow region (Moscow and the Moscow area) has largest in the country history-cultural potential. The amount of objects of display makes 38 % from all-Russian (for comparison Sankt - St. Petersburg, Novgorod and Pskov area - only 16 %). Among them more than 200 objects are brought in to the register UNO.

  The appeal of Moscow as object of tourism is defined by the following factors:

  1.         A huge historical and cultural heritage of cities, indissolubly connected to a history and culture of all Russia

  2.         The largest hotel-tourist complex (over 72 thousand hotel places, 4500 tourists firms, 13 insurance companies, 16 auto enterprises etc.)

  3.         The transport security defines Moscow as a starting point of tourist routes on historical and cultural objects Moscow Region and cities of a Gold ring.

  4.         The Place of realization of the international congresses, symposiums, seminars, exhibitions, fairs, festivals is a base of development in capital business and congress of tourism.

  5.         The International cultural centre, where is concentrated more than 60 museums and 40 theatres, 2 circuses etc.

  6.         The Largest centre of Russian Orthodox church (in city more than 130 temples) - precondition for development of religious tourism

  7.         In Moscow the international competitions on various kinds of sports will be carried outspent

  8.         Event measures, connected to a history and culture of Russia

  9.         The Trips of the tourists to capital can are combined with river and sea cruises.

  10.      The World popularity of the Russian medicine and rather low, in comparison with world, the prices involve the foreigners with an opportunity for realization in Moscow of rates of treatment.

  A flow of the negative information in foreign mass media about Russia, and Moscow including, as to the country, adverse for tourism. Because of the constrained financing the propaganda work abroad on strengthening tourist image of city is conducted in unsufficient volumes.

  The Difference of the metropolitan tourist offer from analogues many offered in the market, is, that in Moscow there is a unique opportunity to combine various kinds of tourism.

  Representing the centre of business, financial, political, scientific, spiritual and cultural life of Russia, Moscow receives unique opportunities to develop the most perspective kinds of tourism in all available forms. The existing opportunities on development of various kinds of tourism allow essentially vary the offer and raise competitiveness of a tourist product of Moscow.

  The Spectrum of the tourist offer of capital is rather wide and can be based, first of all, on the kept fragments of history-architectural environment of city, monuments of architecture, engineering art, history, archeologies and culture.

  The Natural opportunities of nearby areas, where there are objects belonging to the Moscow enterprises and establishments, allow to expand the traditional offer at the expense of organization of short-term departures from capital on a nature.

  The Development of tourism is favoured also by a convenient geographical position of Moscow connected to other history-cultural monuments and cities direct water, automobile and a railway communication.

  From the point of view Of organization of tourist travels in Moscow two opposite tendencies refract:

  1.         In internal tourism (Russian citizens in Moscow) the tendency, characteristic and for the majority of other countries of the world, - development of individual tourism, travel by families or in other small groups will be shown. Determining thus is beforehand caused opportunity of freedom of a choice of a route and changes of its program, that at small number of the tourists is enough easily carried out. It is necessary actively to use the mechanism of the discounts on group routes on transport, enterprises of accommodation and food for stimulation of group rounds in internal tourism.

  1.         In entrance tourism the share of the group tourists is higher, than among the internal visitors. It, partly, is caused by distribution of the negative information about Russia in mass media of West, therefore tourists feel in the large group of the compatriots more confidently, than in small collective. The certain role is played also by the price factor, as the group discounts work.

BASIC PURPOSES AND PROBLEMS OF THE PROGRAM  

  The main strategic purpose of the Program consists in formation in Moscow of competitive tourist-recreational branch as one of leading, priority branches of economy providing, on the one hand, demand of the consumers (both Russian and foreign) for satisfaction of their needs in tourist-recreational services, and on the other hand, significant contribution to social and economic development of the region at the expense of increase of profitable part of the local budget, inflow of investments, increase of workplaces number, improvement of the population health, conservation and rational use of the cultural, historical, and natural heritage. The Program developers proceeds from the model of steady tourism. Steady tourism a model of economic development in the following purposes:   
 
1. Increase of the income from tourism, perfecting of the taxation system. The municipal budget should be formed substantially at the expense of revenues from tourist activity in Moscow: 10% by 2010.   
 
2. Raise of the life standard of local population, welfare of the Muscovites. Use of the social role of tourism (rest of Russian people, establishing social contacts and communication between people).   
 
3. Inflow of investments and creation of new workplaces.   
 
4. Ensuring comfortable conditions of stay for the tourists.   
 
5. Growth of national self-esteem as a result of hospitality and referring to the cultural and historical heritage. 

  As primary goals, the program notes:   
 
1. Determining of the basic areas of activity of the Moscow City Government in control over the tourist resources and tourist industry.   
 
2. Formation of legislative base of the tourist branch.   
 
3. Development of free enterprise in the field of tourism, and, first of all, development of small and average business.   
 
4. Stimulation of development of material base of the tourism branch by engaging Russian and foreign investments for reconstruction of acting objects and creation of new tourist objects and accommodation facilities.   
 
5. The development of tourism infrastructure necessary for raise of competitiveness of Moscow in the international and internal tourist markets, that, in turn, will have an effect on development of the social infrastructure of the city.   
 
6. Creation of conditions for development of tourist zones in the territory of Moscow and adjoining regions of Russia on the basis of agreements in the field of tourism. New construction and reconstruction of acting tourist objects, such as museums, memorial places, objects of interest, architectural monuments, garden and park ensembles, etc. Putting into order the historical places in the city, which are frequently visited by tourists.   
 
7. Development of event tourism basing on attraction of mass contingent of tourists, using some event in the city life. Formation of an event tourism program (congresses, festivals, competitions, urban holidays, etc.). Development of key, "sign" events of year and duly informing on them.   
 
8. Revival of social tourism in Moscow, raising internal tourism in the city and on this base, - raising of life standard of the population, harmonization of social and public life, revival of interest to fatherland, successful solution of questions of conservation of historical and cultural heritage and protection of natural environment.   
 
9. Transformation of the capital into a modern international center of business activity, attraction of business tourists from abroad and other regions of Russia, as business tourists are the most solvent category of tourists, and the business tourism is most suitable for the conditions of a modern city.   
 
10. Conducting an active advertising and information work directed at formation of image of Moscow as the largest center of tourism in the world, and promotion of such the image in the Russian and international tourist markets. The program is designed for the period till 2010, and includes short-term, intermediate and long-term activities. The first stage: 2000-2001 - drawing up the feasibility studies of the large projects and realization of priorities. The second stage: 2001-2005 - realization of intermediate term projects and programs. The third stage: 2005-2010 - realization of long-term projects and annual programs.