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

System of program events.

  The system of program events includes some sections. Drawing them up will ensure a tool for Moscow to form a new tourist product, meeting the modern requirements and possibilities of the city, as well as the general tendencies of tourism development. The system of program actions is broken into some sections consolidating the actions similar in their direction.

1.       Development of image of Moscow as a city favorable for tourism. Advertising, publicity and information work. Creation of comfortable information environment for tourists.

2.       Development of infrastructure and material base of tourism

3.       Development of Moscow tourist product

4.       Creation of conditions for tourism development. State support of tourism in Moscow.Improvement of the structure of tourism control and development

5.       Personnel training.

6.       Scientific background for tourist activity.

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

  Section I. Image of Moscow as a city favorable for tourism. Advertising, publicity and information work. Creation of a comfortable information environment for tourists.   
 
1. Creation of two image strategies of Moscow as a tourist place:   
 
1.1. Strategy for external market (a place open to all the world, safe, with advanced infrastructure and richest cultural and historical heritage);   
1.2. Strategy for internal (domestic) Russian market (a place accessible for the desired visitors from various Russian regions, interesting and various for different social groups of tourists).   
 
2. Consolidation of advertising and information work of different market players in the hands of a separate municipal structure, being independent of influence of any companies, - Tourist Information Center (TIC), - with the purposes of rendering advertising and information, tourist and business services to the visitors, as well as for conducting the advertising and marketing activity. Construction of TIC with total area of 3 thousand sq.m. Creation of a network of unitized TIC information bureaus with total area of 0.6 thousand sq.m. 2.1. Advertising and information activity   
 
2.1.1. Information unit. Building and regular updating of information databases for tourists. - Database "Guidebook". Survey information on Moscow (history of the city, statistics, sights, cultural program, entertainment, shopping, holidays, events, special measures, the map of Moscow, virtual cameras of direct translation in different objects of tourist show). - Database "Planning and Booking". Information on organization of trips and accommodation in Moscow. A possibility to familiarize with Russian agencies, variants of flight, accommodation in hotels, to receive consultation, to place an order, to reserve, to lease etc. Those tasks correspond to: "White List" of tourist agencies; booking system; formation of orders for tourist agencies. A special place is taken by "System of trip scheduling", when a tourist enters certain information about himself, and the system processes those data and outputs the optimum variants of trip in view of the client peculiarities. - Database "Moscow Life Diary". Collecting, processing and classification of all the information concerning everything that occurs in the city: what events, where, when, etc. Repertoire of theatres, program of night clubs, where to have a good time, what to engaged with, excursions, etc. Granting urgent and reliable information about work of the tourist industry objects of Moscow, tourist resources, tourist products, events in cultural and public life of Moscow.   
2.1.2. Service of information and consultations. The list of services is the following: - Granting the information by telephone on-line in three languages. - Personal consultations (face-to-face). - Reception of orders for booking services, with subsequent receiving by the customer of a voucher for the service ordered. - Call re-addressing to the services suppliers. - Trip-the-clock information service using an interactive voice answering system in voice mode and in "fax by inquiry" mode.   
 
2.2. Marketing activity.   
2.2.1. Design and distribution of advertising and publicity materials about the tourist complex of Moscow, on events planned in the city, and on TIC itself.   
2.2.2. Conducting special actions in Moscow and other countries to form positive public opinion of Moscow as an international tourist center   
2.2.3. Study of tourist resources of Moscow, monitoring of data reliability with respect to resources kept in the Center's databases.   
2.2.4. Promotion of new tourist resources. Organization of presentations of new tourist products with invitation of their holders, investors, as well as tourist operators and tourist agencies.   
 
2.3. Commercial activity. Service in places most frequently visited by tourists:   
2.3.1. Drawing up of vouchers for accommodation, car rent, visiting of cultural events, restaurants, excursion and guide service, etc. - in Moscow city.   
2.3.2. Drawing up of voucher for trip to an exit tourist;   
2.3.3. Registration of visa, booking of air tickets for dispatch abroad;   
2.3.4. Sale of advertising space in advertising production of the TIC.   
2.3.5. Sale of check-books and discount cards "Guest's Card".   
2.3.6. Sale of maps, guidebooks, brochures and gift editions, video and CD, etc.   
2.3.7. Sale of souvenir products.   
 
3. Work at the international exhibitions and fairs accompanied with advertising and promotion campaigns.   
 
4. Organization of conferences on tourism with participation of foreign firms. Conducting in Moscow congresses of international tourist organizations. It can be World Association of Tourist Agencies (WATA), World Federation of Associations of Tourist Agencies, International Hotel Association, and so on.   
 
5. Collaboration with foreign journalists invited to Moscow.   
 
6. Work with national tourist representative offices of other countries.   
 
7. Design and release of advertising and information products.   
 
8. Annual edition of summary calendar of tourist events.   
 
9. Organization of international advertising and PR-campaigns.   
 
10. Participation in realization of projects having large public resonance, for creation of free-of-charge advertising of the city of Moscow.   
 
11. Conducting an active propaganda campaign in Moscow explaining and maintaining steps of municipal authorities to develop the city as a tourist center, educating Muscovites in the spirit of hospitality and easygoing attitude to visitors, both Russian and foreign.   
 
12. Conducting a multi-stage campaign for advertising Moscow as an object of tourism in the regions of the Russian Federation.   
 
13. Manufacture and installation of information boards and panels, signs and inscriptions in public places frequently visited by tourists, duplicating the Russian text with foreign translation.   
 
14. Creation and support of a tourist server of Moscow in Internet.   
 
15. Establishing direct relations with basic foreign tourism operators specializing in the direction of Russia.

Development of the tourism infrastructure and material base

For satisfaction of the tourists' needs under the classical scheme of rendering the tourist services: "transport + accommodation + entertainment", - it is necessary to provide the tourists with the following services: - accommodation, that should be satisfied with several types of basic and additional accommodation facilities; - Food, that is connected to necessity of providing them with various, including, entertaining, food; - tourist impressions; - transport. For satisfaction of the tourists' needs, the "small steps" policy is offered, aimed at formation of a network of small private hotels and other types of accommodation facilities, as well as gradual development, on the base of regeneration of the historical building pattern, of service infrastructure designed for both temporary (visitors) and resident population of the city. Development of the tourist structures should "work" for a general idea of conservation of historical shape of the city, its originality, renovation of its historical building pattern.  
 
1. Formation of a uniform system of tourist zones in Moscow (about 20 zones) and high-grade tourist routes connected to them, focused on different categories of tourists, and providing full complex of services for the tourists within 15-minute pedestrian/transport availability, including accommodation (hotels, apartments, flat in residential flat blocks, etc.), servicing the tourists (souvenir vending, household services, public health care, etc.), entertainment (leisure centers, theatres, concert halls, etc.), information and reference service, visiting of shown objects (excursion services), transport services, parking lots. The work is conducted on the base of a complex program of tourist recreational zone "Golden Ring of Moscow".  
 
1.1. Tourist zone is called a territory where development of tourist infrastructure is priority in relation to other kinds of activity. A tourist zone is such a territory where objects of interest, attracting tourists, and other objects and services are concentrated. It is nothing else but a complex, and it would be erroneous to call 'tourist zone' some place with concentrated sights without the necessary infrastructure. In a tourist zone, certain tourist product is formed, i.e. tourist offer including such elements as: sights survey, visiting of museums, theatres, festivals, rest (active one, and simple walking), visiting souvenir shops, art saloons and galleries, as well as food, accommodation, transport, guide's services, etc. Progressive is creation of tourist products designed for various segments of the market, and, hence, tourist zones should have thematic character, too.  
 
1.2. Tourist zoning as a strategic direction of general tourist policy of the city is closely connected with realization of the general plan of Moscow, with social, economic, and ecological factors.  
 
1.3. For effective stage-by-stage development, it is necessary to carry out selection of various tourist zones, so that, if necessary, they could be economically and efficiently developed separately. The orientation at stage-by-stage development is based on some reasons stated below: - Transport and pedestrian availability; - Terms of creation or supplement of the base infrastructure; - Demand in the tourist market; - Expediency of development of sights and objects; - Social perception of tourist development by the population living in these tourist zones.  
 
1.4. Zone type (profile) and functional features depend, first of all, on tourist potential, - historical and cultural, or natural.  
 
1.5. In the territory where sights or objects of tourist interest (museums, theatres, entertainment and sports objects) are placed, the objects of tourist service are also focused. "Sectional" organization of tourist sights and kinds of activity is an important principle of planning. Sights grouping in certain zones can attract more tourists to each of them and make the tourists stay longer in each of them. It makes cheaper the infrastructure creation and is more convenient for organization of trips. The "sectional" approach also consists in development of several additional sights near the basic one, drawing the tourists' attention. Those secondary elements may already exist in the zone and to require reconstruction only. In other cases, they may be mobile (any cultural mass event, action, show), or developed from zero (for example, organization of a center for expositions and sale of products of national crafts).  
 
1.6. Grouping the tourist objects and forms of amusement by functional parameters, such as objects of accommodation, cultural objects, leisure organization objects. Accommodation should correctly correspond with the basic sights, not penetrating their territory to keep the historical atmosphere of the environment and, at the same time, providing convenient transport and pedestrian availability.  
 
1.7. Building stops for tourist transport outside the street road network for prevention of bottlenecks and other street traffic failures is an important advantage of precise tourist zoning.  
 
1.8. Zone organization depends on disposition of tourist objects (both objects for show and infrastructure objects) in relation to each other, their affinity. The second condition allowing to define a tourist zone, is its maximum organic integration into the town-planning system of Moscow. Therefore, main zones situated in Central Administrative District within Garden Ring, completely obey to the structure of radial directions of streets from Kremlin and ring connection between them - along parkways. It is obvious that all the tourist zones should be coordinated with general policy of development of the capital, with General Plan of development of Moscow till 2020. Zone "binding" is necessary with decision of ecological, transport, and social problems, analysis of which is given in General Plan. The plan of tourism development in Moscow is considered as one of the constituents of General Plan. Such the approach provides harmonious integration of tourism to the city life, that will minimize the problems connected to competition for use of land lots, with chronic overload of the transport network, with determining of functional use of monuments. In the event the plans of tourist zones development will be designed in administrative districts of the city, their connection with the tendencies of development of Moscow should be coordinated. In this case, an important condition is participation of the city (or administrative district) inhabitants in discussing the project at key stages of planning.  
 
1.9. An important part of the plan are conservation zones of two types - natural and historical. It directly concerns tourist zones development, where they are located. Among natural zones, Izmailovo and Kolomenskoe may be marked out. Natural zones are approved; historical and cultural conservation zones will be approved soon.  
 
1.10. Separation of a zone connected with organization in it of congress, exhibition and business tourism is based on the General Plan decision on forced development of "City" complex and Euroterminal.  
 
1.11. Improvement of the motor ship route "Kolomenskoe - City: from XI to XXI century."  
 
1.12. Conceptually important is decision to build special free parking lots (it will begin next year) near the Garden ring borders and along the periphery of Central District. There are only pay parking lots in the center. This circumstance has influenced on designing, generally, pedestrian zones in the Center.  
 
1.13. There are no parking lots for tourist transport in the historical zones of the city, - for external visual survey of historical, architectural and town-planning monuments. Municipal parking lots in the city center are practically all pay, therefore, buses make loading and unloading of tourists on the carriageway, while during excursion they stay in nearby lanes. Parking on the carriageway reduces its throughput, and can result in road incidents.  
 
1.14. Zones of cognitive and endemic tourism is the territory of greatest concentration of sights having an advanced network of hotel enterprises and objects of tourist infrastructure. The recreational zones can also be used, which are normally allocated in territories with least concentration of the population, on dock spaces, in elements of the nature environment included to urban landscape (for example, in Sokolniki park, in Bitsa forest, and the latter has a full complex of material objects required for it).  
 
1.15. Formation of tourist recreational zone (TRZ) "Golden Ring of Moscow". Approved by the Mayor of Moscow, offer to create TRZ "Golden Ring of Moscow", including Kremlin, Red Square, Alexandrovsky garden, trade complex "Okhotny Ryad", Manezh Square, "Manezh" exhibition hall, Borovitskaya Square, Russian State Library, A.S. Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Temple of Christ the Savior, pedestrian bridge across the Moscow river to "Strelka", Complex of Tretiakov gallery in Lavrushinsky lane, Large Moskvoretsky bridge, Vasilievsky descent, Kitai-Gorod wall on Moskvoretskaya quay, "Old Gostinny Court Yard", GUM, has found its reflection in the complex concept prepared by Moscow Committee on Architecture, on development of TRZ "Golden Ring of Moscow" with design of a business plan, the end of work above which is planned in 2000. This concept assumes creation of a tourist recreational zone in the historical center of Moscow with accomplishment of new construction and reconstruction of the existing building pattern, with organization of service and tourist show objects, places for rest and entertainment. The project assumes reconstruction of Borovitskaya Square with construction of a new hotel and business center, Lubyanka, Manezh, building of a 2-level parking lot designed for 2000 places, substitute of ordinary objects of mass service with reconstruction of historical buildings in Pyatnitskaya street, Kuznetsky Bridge, Nikolskaya street. In Borovitskaya, Theatrical and Lubyanskaya squares, it is planned to place objects of trading and daily-living tourist service in the underground space.  
 
2. Coordination of development of tourist infrastructure with other branches of the municipal economy: modernization of motorways, building of parking lots, including those for excursion transport, development of urban public transport, development of municipal services, recovering of the parks, old manors, museums and other cultural and entertainment establishments, public health care, ecology, telecommunication, adaptation of the city for elderly people and invalids.  
 
3. Formation of zones of international tourism development in the territory of Moscow and adjacent areas on the base of basic historical and cultural centers of Moscow region, such as Sergiev Posad, Kolomna, Serpukhov, Mozhaisk, Ruza, Zvenigorod, Klin, Istra, Dmitrov, Bronnitsy, Vladimir, Pereslavl-Zalessky, including objects demonstrated to tourists, tourist service centers, and recreational zones close to basins.  
 
3.1. Development of tourism in Moscow through a uniform system of arrangements to create a network of routes and development of material base of tourism, as well as infrastructure in the regions connected with Moscow, taking into account remoteness of Russia and Moscow from the basic partner countries which are sending visitors to the capital, and accordingly, incur high transport expenses related to the tourists delivery to the place of rest and back (it is, first of all, St.-Petersburg and Leningrad region, as well as the whole region of "Golden Ring", - historical cities of Russia, including Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Ivanovo, Vladimir and Moscow regions). 3.2. Inclusion of near Moscow Suburb Area to the Moscow tourist complex. It especially concerns forest and park protective zone having significant potential for development of various kinds of rest and tourism, - and development of business tourism. Accommodation facilities  
 
4. Construction of new hotels. A draft plan of housing, public, communal and other facilities construction in Moscow in 2001-2005, and the General Plan of Moscow development in the period until 2020, envisage by 2005, construction of new hotels and renovation of operating ones with the total number of hotel rooms (accommodation places) to amount to about 6,500 (10,000) and 5,590 (9,500), respectively, mainly in the central part of the city and in intensively visited tourist areas. Categories of hotels under construction are to be coordinated according to estimations of the number of tourists and guests arriving in the capital. Thus, priority is given to the construction of medium-class hotels, including small ones, to most fully satisfy accommodation requirements of people arriving in the capital with tourist purposes.  
 
4.1 In the first stage (2001-2005), new accommodation facilities are distributed among Moscow districts as follows, in percentage: Central administrative district 59% Northern administrative district 4% North-Eastern administrative district 7% Eastern administrative district 4% South-Eastern administrative district 2% Southern administrative district 2% South-Western administrative district 4% Western administrative district 17%  
 
4.2 The following hotel construction projects are among those planned to be accomplished in 2001-2005: a hotel of the Hotel and Business Center in Novinsky Boulevard, "Hilton" in Nikitsky Boulevard, "Bolshoi Hilton" in Neglinka Street, a hotel of the "Gostiny Dvor" trading center in Ilyinka Street.  
 
4.3 Elaboration of original licensing and tender documents. As new hotel construction projects are supposed to be accomplished by attracting investments, it would be appropriate to use budgetary appropriations to be further refunded for the elaboration of original licensing and tender documents (OLTD) for the construction of new hotels, and on the results of tender bids to choose an investor that will thereupon reimburse OLTD elaboration costs.  
 
5. Reconstruction of the existing hotels. The program envisages renovation of the following existing hotels: "Intourist", "Beijing", "Budapest", "Rossija", "Moskva", "Ukraine", "Tsentralnaya", "Ostankino", "Tourist", "Volga" ("Severnaya" hotel).  
 
6. Reequipment and measures to increase service categories of hotels.  
 
6.1 The Program contains measures aimed at an increase of hotel service categories in order that they first of all fully comply with 2-star and 3-star categories.  
 
6.2 As a rule, companies allocate their own capital to reequip and modernize hotel rooms. In 1999, within the frames of the work to increase the efficiency of own and budgetary resources, major repairs and reequipment of hotel rooms were accomplished on their own accounts by the JSC "Rossija" (fully owned by the city), JSC Hotel Complex "Cosmos" (the city owns 60% in the company), Hotel Complex "Ukraine". Over 1,125 rooms were repaired without taking into consideration other facilities. These companies allocated 150 million rubles of their own capital for major repairs, reequipment and purchasing. The material and technical basis of municipal hotels "Altai" and "Tourist" has been restored, and over 100 rooms have been repaired in the current year.  
 
6.3 In order to repair all hotel rooms that need to be repaired, it is necessary to elaborate on a principally new efficient financing scheme based on borrowings and investments.  
 
7. Repair of rooms in hotels where refuges lived. The Program envisages a complete repair of hotel rooms and public facilities of eight city hotels in 2000-2002: "Altai", "Volga", "Voskhod", "Zolotoi Kolos", "Kuzminki", "Orekhovo", "Ostankino", "Tourist." Repair works are supposed to be financed using profit tax concessions. Transport  
 
8. Development of tourist transport services. Purchasing of motor vehicles (buses, minibuses, passenger cars).  
 
9. Establishment of an efficient and well-ordered system of Moscow radio-equipped taxicabs to primarily serve tourist facilities.  
 
10. Location and development of parking areas for tourist excursion vehicles. Construction of parking facilities.  
 
11. To take measures in order to improve services for foreign guests at the Sheremetievo airport. Tourist service establishments  
 
12. Development of a retail sale and consumer services network. Special attention should be paid to retail sales of original Russian and Moscow style souvenirs.  
 
13. Development of congress and exhibition centers. Tourist catering  
 
14. Development of the "Russian Bistro" fast food network. Leisure centers and entertainment industry  
 
15. Construction and reconstruction of tourist projects.  
 
16. Development of leisure centers and entertainment industry, a network of cultural and spectacular tourist facilities. Construction of an aquapark in the "City", mountain-skiing slopes within the city limits, tennis-courts, golf-fields, grounds for extreme youth sports - both summer and winter.  
 
17. Construction of new and reconstruction of existing tourist objects: museums, memorial places, eye-catching places, architectural monuments, landscape architecture ensembles, etc. To clear up historical places of the city frequently visited by tourists.  
 
18. Construction and commissioning of a multi-purpose motor-racing ground in the flood plain of Nagatino adjusted for various competitions, including the Formula 1 races.  
 
Medical care of tourists  
 
19. Elaboration and application of a unified concept of medical care of entry and exit tourism. Provision of medical care to entrants, personnel of hotel and tourist establishments. Establishment of a medical diagnostic and health rehabilitation facilities on the basis of a medical institution to be authorized by the Moscow City Government .  
 
Tourist security  
 
One of the major conditions of incoming tourism in Moscow is the security of life, health and property of the city's guests. Criminal situation in some hotels and lack of security blanket at airports and other types of transport, including transfers to hotels and back, at restaurants, during sightseeing tours and visits to other entertainment facilities are active reasons of counter-propaganda and considerably slow down a growth of incoming tourism. The establishment of a special hotel and tourist police department seems to be expedient now in order to provide security for visitors of Moscow, resist the above trends and make the fight against illegal tourist business and criminality in this field more efficient, including the fight against organized criminal groups that are intensifying their activities in Moscow hotels and tourist business. Many countries of the world have already formed such special units, as recommended by the World Tourist Organization, the most authoritative intergovernmental organization in the field of tourism. Taking into consideration that there are a lot of licensed security agencies already operating in various hotels of the city in addition to representatives of the Interior Ministry, and in some top-class hotels these security agencies are equipped with the state of the art technical means, it would be expedient not to establish a centralized vertically structured security service in hotels, but to propose a more flexible decision based on the following main postulates:  
 
20. Establishment of a Coordinating Council on security in the hotel and tourist complex (HTC) of the city to act as an advisory and deliberative body with the Moscow City Government . The council shall consist of representatives of the Moscow state authorities, the Interior Ministry, the Federal Security Service (FSB), airlines, public organizations and commercial institutions of the complex, and other establishments. This body should be entitled to introduce legislative initiatives to the city, obtain off-budget financing and decide on the financing of the main directions of security measures in the HTC.  
 
21. Establishment of a non-profit organization "The Fund for Security in HTC", which shall be governed by the Coordinating Council as its top authority. In addition to such responsibilities as to raise funds, upon decisions of the Coordinating Council, allocate, and audit the appropriation of obtained financial resources, the Fund should be entitled to accredit security agencies if they meet specific requirements of the HTC, and to exercise regular supervision over the observance of accreditation terms. Accredited security agencies personnel should wear a unified insignia of the hotel and tourist police, follow its service regulations and regularly report to the Fund. Evidently, it would be expedient that the Fund be responsible for the supply of necessary equipment and technical control systems to the HTC's facilities, and specialized training of guards for the HTC's security units, as well as other issues.  
 
22. Establishment of a special police unit (tourist police) of the Main Department of Interior Affairs to be financed by the companies of the HTC paying for security services, as well as by allocations from the city budget and the Fund. The said unit shall protect municipal hotels and other facilities of the HTC on a contract basis, and supervise tourist services provided during stops on a tour (within the frames of the fight against illegal tourist business).  
 
23. This unit may also function as the so-called "morality police" or an emergency response service to extreme situations that may occur in the HTC. The unit shall respond to emergency calls from any facility of the HTC regardless of the fact what particular security agency protects the object.

Creation of tourist product for the City of Moscow

  The tourist strategy of Moscow should pursue a twofold objective:   
 
I. On the one hand, it should as much as possible preserve and strengthen the position that has been reached in the traditional tourist sphere. In order to do this it is supposed to create additional offer that could react to any changes in the consumer demand for the product available. Orientation to group and tour segments of the tourist market. At that, it should be taken into consideration that in order to get an advantage in the tourist business it is necessary to primarily concentrate efforts on services for foreign and well-off Russian tourists. And that is possible only if a completely new by its content, and evidently different and individual tourist product is available.   
 
II. On the other hand, it should provide for the creation of a new tourist product beyond the frames of traditional assessments of Moscow tourist capabilities. A new product should take into account specific historic and cultural characters of the city, and make it possible to substantially vary traditional offerings as it should contain services that were not typical for Moscow earlier.   
 
1. World experience testifies to the major role of tourism based on the usage of elements of national history both for making profits and creating conditions for the revival of natural and viable historic environment. While developing a new tourist product, tendencies to revive interest towards the national culture that have appeared recently not only in this country but also in the West, should not only be considered but taken as a base for new tourist suggestions. Cultural and national ethnographic aspects could be used as a base for the following types of tourism in Moscow being a historic city:   
 
1.1. Business and sightseeing tourism intended for businessmen and other experts, visiting not only Moscow but nearby towns as well, and combining an expansion of their business contacts with recreation and acquaintance with the life of local people. As their main interests are stimulated by the need in recreation and entertainment, folk songs and dances, as well as the most prestigious articles of handcrafts to be bought as souvenirs will be most popular with this tourist category.   
 
1.2. Incentive tourism, based on group tours to Moscow for sightseeing and tours of a company or enterprise's employees to tourist areas for recreation. Availability of this type of tourism mainly depends on the structure of consumer demand for tourist services.   
 
1.3. Specific types of tourism:   
 
1.3.1. Licensed scientific tourism (archeological diggings in the city and the region, studies of historic places);   
 
1.3.2. Scientific and educational tourism, for example, courses of the Russian language, restoration of monuments, ethnography and history studies, archeological expeditions, and other varieties of specific tourism;   
 
1.3.3. Religious tourism being a worldwide tourist service is rather feasible for Moscow with its complex of buildings on the Red Square, in the Kremlin, monasteries, churches, etc., as it provides for their revival. A lot of Orthodox sacred things and places in Moscow (the Vladimir Icon of the Virgin, Rublyov's frescoes, architectural monastery ensembles), as well as Orthodox objects of worship in the neighboring regions promote the development of religious tourism.   
 
1.4. Cultural and sightseeing tourism that is based on unflagging interest to the huge sightseeing potential of the capital, consisting of numerous architectural, historic, archeological monuments and literary heritage, as well as small historic towns and rural settlements of the Golden Ring, where participation in holidays, ceremonies and other events can be included in the program of a tour. Maintenance work on the monuments and objects of display. Execution of the historic and architectural assessment of objects to be displayed. Inclusion of historical heritage objects in tourist programs.   
 
1.5. Weekend tours (for Muscovites and foreigners living in Moscow, as well as for visitors from other countries). The development of this type of tourism combined with the popularization of ancient ceremonies, holidays, national traditions and culture will be most effective on individual projects the construction of which is envisaged by various tourism development programs (construction of tourist villages in the Moscow region).   
 
1.6. Ethnographical tourism, based on the interest of a potential consumer in the actual life of the nation, national traditions, ceremonies, arts and culture. Usage of historic buildings as live decorations for actions with elements of the national culture and life is the most promising direction in this type of tourism.   
 
1.7. Capabilities to stay in any town should be developed mainly in the cultural and historic centers of the Moscow region, as well as in cities and towns of the Golden Ring where a lot of historic and cultural places of interest are concentrated. It is possible on conditions that the existing accommodation facilities are modernized and tourist infrastructure is established, including craft shops, small restaurants, thematic cafes, etc. Cities of the Golden Ring may become major tour targets for tourists arriving in Moscow. At that the usage of places and objects of interest may render a substantial financial support to the local people that own and use these facilities.   
 
1.8. Event tourism, based on the attraction of a mass tourist contingent on the occasion of a cultural or sporting event in the city. Elaboration of the calendar of events for this type of tourism (festivals, contests, city holidays, etc.). Determination of the key event (events) of the year and timely information about it. Development and execution of large outstanding projects related to the cultural, scientific or sporting life of the city, new holiday celebration programs, conferences, congresses, round-table meetings, that attract a lot of participants from Russia and foreign countries.   
 
1.9. Ecological tourism may become a promising type of specific tourism and an additional factor attracting tourists to Moscow. A variety of this tourism is a stay in villages to experience this way of life. This primarily concerns ecologically clean areas of the Moscow region. This type of tourism may be developed in currently half-forgotten villages located in ecologically clean territories. This type of tourism refers to small-scale alternatives of tourism development and requires arrangements for recreation of small tourist groups, arriving at traditional and most often distant villages and living in houses owned and managed by local villagers.   
 
1.10. Ethnic tourism is also a development factor taking into account the past of this country when many people had to emigrate and now they are visiting places where their ancestors used to live.   
 
1.11. Medical tourism, based on the world-famous Russian medicine, usage of Moscow hospitals' potential and application of recent developments of Russian scientists aimed at the development of medical care, an opportunity to take a course of treatment in Moscow.   
 
1.12. Museum tourism as a system of cooperation between museums in the field of cultural tourism, providing for the following:   
 
1.12.1 Development of a program to unite activities of museums;   
1.12.2 Development and execution of museum tours;   
1.12.3 Introduction of cultural actions into tourist programs;   
1.12.4 Development of efficient forms of cooperation between museums and tourist organizations (tourist operator + museum);   
1.12.5 Introduction of new forms of tourist services (tourist museum ticket, "Moscow Guest's Card");   
1.12.6 Flexible pricing policy, etc.   
 
2. For Moscow and Russia as a whole with its undeveloped tourist infrastructure and at the same time a huge unclaimed tourist potential, the development of alternative tourism is the most interesting direction aimed at the attraction of foreign tourists that are spoilt enough and have seen a lot and thus are trying to spend their holidays or spare time in a different way, i.e. more rationally and unusually. Just this alternative tourism, consisting mainly of specific types of tourism, should become a substantial part of the program of tourism development in Moscow. General features of alternative tourism: – Smaller volume of services; – Local capital and management domination; – Lower prices, due to which the needs of tourists differ from the needs of those who stay in traditional big hotels. These tourists are more prepared for a temporary assimilation in a new society and less socially vulnerable; – Alternative tourism is based on suggestions of the population and is not imposed by higher authorities.   
 
3. Specific types of tourism may become a reserve of the city's tourism development. They may attract a significant amount of tourists if they are given priority. First of all it is relevant to business tourism and its varieties depending on the aim of a trip: congresses, incentive tourism, and business tourism itself.   
 
4. Travelling by car, religious and ethnic tourism, and to a great extent ecological tourism should by no means be regarded as mass types of tourism, as they are individual types of tourism. In regard to tourist trip planning as a whole, individual tourism, family or small group trips are the most developed types of tourism actually in all countries of the world. A typical feature of it is the ability to be free in choosing and changing itineraries, and it is very easy with a small number of tourists. These types of tourism should by no means be considered as the main types for Moscow and the Moscow region. They should serve as an additional factor able to diversify the ways of spending leisure time during a trip to Moscow, and to provide an opportunity to the population of the capital and foreign citizens working in the city to relax on weekends.   
 
5. Social tourism development. To overcome a crisis in the tourist business by actively developing social tourism is the aim that meets Moscow interests. It is worth noting that investments in tourist projects will pay back much earlier than investments in any industrial project. For example, a medium-class hotel project has a payback period of 5 years. A newly established tourist company may pay back within a shorter period of time.   
 
As a positive moment in the development of social tourism nowadays can be considered the fact that changes in the economic and political life of Moscow over the recent years made it possible to significantly increase suggestions in the field of tourism, maximally approximating them to the demand. Thus, regardless of the crisis, the restructuring of the economy provides for the restructuring of the tourist business mainly by changing priorities, i.e. by switching the orientation from only elite tourism to the development of reasonably priced and mass types of tourism. Consumer market mobilizes everybody and everywhere.   
 
One should remember that local consumers make up 60-70 percent of the future tourist market, and only 30-40 percent belong to foreign tourists. Thus, it is necessary to improve service standards for local tourists, including those consuming the social tourist product. If the quality of the Moscow tourist product is lower than in other countries, then Moscow will lose both domestic and foreign tourists.   
 
The elaboration and accomplishment of the social program should be strengthened by a parallel project able to attract capital investments that would be sufficient to stabilize the economy of the city and solve social problems.   
 
Social, self-organized (sporting and health-improving), children and youth tourism is an independent socially-oriented field of the society's activity and an efficient means of physical training, active recreation, moral and patriotic upbringing and development based on the real acquaintance with life, history, culture and traditions of the country's regions.   
 
Self-organized tourism is able to solve many social problems, provide additional knowledge and skills, distract teenagers from narcotics and influence of the streets, provide pre-conscription military training, rehabilitation of invalids, be developed as a kind of sports, etc. Development of the program "ISIC, ITIC, International Student, Youth and Teacher Identity Cards." Preparation and holding of a Congress of the International Student Travel Confederation and International Association of Youth Tourism. To provide a guaranteed level of international discounts, services and information in the capital is of an exclusive importance for Moscow and its image as a world tourist center.   
 
At present, Identity Card (ISIC) is available in 95 countries of the world, and it provides over 17,000 discounts and benefits to its owner (in addition to discounts granted to native students), opening access for pupils and students to inexpensive and manifold travels. The ISIC program was supported by the Moscow City Government (Mayor's decree No. 913-PM dated 07.09.98. "On the measures to develop the program 'International Student Identity Card, ISIC'", Resolution No. 554 dated 22.07.97. "On the youth tourist program "Moscow - the capital of the State of Russia"). Due to this support, holders of such identity cards received over 500 discounts and benefits, including 40 discounts for visiting museums, theaters, cinemas, Moscow Zoo, the Sokolniki Park, literature purchasing, access to the Internet, 35 discounts for relaxation in restaurants, cafes, discotheques, night clubs, bowling clubs, 170 discounts in consumer service facilities, 42 discounts for tourist tour purchasing, studying abroad, and at private higher education institutes and universities, various training courses.   
 
In 1999, the International Student Travel Confederation started to implement a project called "Discounts in key cities of the world." The main aims of the project are: guaranteed levels of international discounts, services and information in the cities of the world annually visited by students, ISIC card usage as an integral part of its owner's stay in a "key" city, integration of local discount systems into the world system.   
 
According to ISTC, Moscow is one of 35 "key" cities of world, a cultural, educational center with ancient traditions. ISTC submitted to the JSC "Sputnik" a list of historical places of interest, museums, theaters, where pupils and students would like to be given discounts while visiting Moscow. ISTC will publish a guide called "Discounts in key cities of the world" and create a Web-site as an informational support to the project.   
 
An authorized organization representing ISTC in Russia is going to accomplish a joint project with private higher educational institutions of Moscow on the usage of ISIC card as an internal student identity card. Development of business tourism.   
 
6. During the first stage of the analysis of international experience and its applicability to the tourist potential of Moscow a conclusion was made on the necessity to develop business tourism in the city. Business tourism is able to provide significant benefits to the economy of Moscow. On average a foreign tourist spends in Moscow $1,000, staying in the city for 3.5 days. Any increase of the number of tourists arriving in Moscow on business, regardless of the departure point, contributes to the development of economic relations of Moscow with Russian regions and foreign countries, and that has a positive impact on the economy of the city.   
 
A lot of problems should be solved in order to turn Moscow into a center of business tourism. First of all, the cost component of the ratio cost/quality should be lowered, and then the problems of ensuring safety for tourists should be solved. A network of car rental companies should be enlarged in order to meet transport requirements of business tourists. There are offices of well-known car rental companies in Moscow. For example, Rent-a-Car offers its services at the Sheremetyevo-2 airport. Still, there are no municipal car rental companies in Moscow. The city has to solve this problem of providing cars on rent at reasonable prices.   
 
Congress and exhibition tourism helps to solve such a serious problem as the seasonal factor in tourism, as the activity dealt with congresses and exhibitions reaches its peak in winter and off-season, right at the time of the "dead season" in tourism.   
 
7. It is necessary to determine major directions of tourist marketing and the requirements of tourist infrastructure development in Moscow, taking into account priority types of tourism and potential groups of consumers.   
 
8. Elaboration, drawing up and maintenance of the Registry of Moscow tourist resources. Elaboration of comprehensive assessment methods for the estimation of the capacity of Moscow tourist resources, taking into account a steady development of tourism. Tourist resources of Moscow are as follows: – historic and cultural resources, consisting of architectural ensembles, individual buildings (architectural and historic monuments), monasteries, temples, museums, historic and artistic reservations, archeological and historic monuments, urban and country manors; – natural resources, consisting of attractive landscape areas, forest parks, the Moscow River area, individual natural attractions; – theaters, concert halls, art galleries; – traditional handicrafts; – regular festivals, sports competitions, congresses and exhibitions; – scientific and industrial objects. Only using a comprehensive assessment of the above tourist resources one may create an impartial picture of the Moscow tourist potential and assess the internal and international competitiveness of any tourist product developed on the basis of this potential.

Creation of condition for the development of tourism. State support of tourism in Moscow

  1. Creation of regional legal norms and regulations for the regulatory system of tourist business activities. Elaboration and enforcement of a regional regulating document "Moscow tourist services regulations." Cancellation of contradictory and alternative provisions contained in many adopted norms and regulations in the sphere of tourism and hospitality. Adoption of the Moscow City Law "On tourist activity in the city of Moscow." Submission of amendments and comments of the Committee for Tourism on the following bills of the Russian Federation: "On time-sharing system" and "On licensing of tourist business in Russia", to be subsequently adopted in accordance with the established procedure.   
 
2. Elaboration by the Committee for Tourism and introduction of a voluntary system of certification of quality. The requirements to tourist companies will be stated in the governing document "Moscow tourist services regulations." Those tourist companies that manage to meet a great number of certification requirements will be granted not only with a special certificate providing them morale advantages on the market, but also certain tax allowances, etc.   
 
3. Establishment of a voluntary liability insurance system in order that tourist companies and tour operators could insure with accredited insurance companies their liabilities to clients with the aim to increase the level of responsibilities of tourist product and services providers, and to eliminate mass violations of tourists rights in this business.   
 
4. Management of the Moscow Government's Inter-departmental Commission on regulation of activities of tourist enterprises.   
 
5. Development of administrative arrangements. Tourism managerial chain should be as follows: Committee for Tourism - District - Board.   
 
6. A system of moneyed assistance to companies receiving tourists: reduced land and municipal property rents, reduced municipal services tariffs, etc.   
 
7. Elaboration of a fiscal policy aimed at an increase of allocations to the city budget from taxes, dues and fees paid by enterprises due to their development and restructuring of their tax payments. Comprehensive research and probable subsequent imposition of a single imputed income tax for tourist enterprises: a "wholesale" rate, i.e. regressive, depending on their estimations of the number of tourists to be served within one year, and a "retail" rate for each voucher per one tourist.   
 
8. Introduction of amendments to the federal and local budgets (Tax Code of the Russian Federation and Moscow budget) providing for tax allowances to tourist companies, the main activity of which is the development of priority types of tourism, i.e. incoming, internal and social.   
 
9. Provision of tax allowances for capital investments and extended reproduction of material resources and a tourist reception infrastructure as a whole. Reduction of VAT and profit tax rates, if such provided margin is allocated for the development of internal and incoming tourism.   
 
10. Provision of tax allowances and customs facilities for purchasing of equipment for hotels, tourist transportation means and other facilities of tourist infrastructure.   
 
11. Complete attribution of promotion expenses to the prime cost of services of the companies that deal with reception and render services to Russian and foreign tourists.   
 
12. Stimulation of investments in tourism. The Moscow Government's credit policy should attract additional resources to finance tourist projects. Appointment of authorized banks by the Moscow Government to deal with the development of tourism in the city. Guarantees of the Moscow Government on financial obligations of some creditors. Participation of the Moscow Government in joint investment projects. Elaboration of a basic portfolio of investment projects aimed at the development of tourist infrastructure in Moscow. Collection of information for the substantiation of decisions of the Moscow Government and independent market participants on investments in tourism.   
 
13. Establishment of a special budgetary fund to finance the hospitality industry.   
 
14. To provide for a set of measures to form a reliable base for cooperation between Moscow tour operators in order to increase the quality of services rendered to tourists.   
 
14.1 It is very important for Moscow, when it is the first point of a tour of Russia, to have agreements within the frames of regional tourism development programs (cooperation in services) with partners in other points of an itinerary (St. Petersburg, cities of the Golden Ring, etc.). Taking into account that tourists usually purchase a complete set of services for the whole tour from Moscow operators, such agreements could increase the responsibility of receiving companies in these cities for the quality of services. In addition to the main directions of cooperation, these regional agreements may contain a list of tourist companies (regularly updated), with which Moscow tour operators may cooperate without any risk to the quality of services.   
14.2 To introduce a voluntary certification of Moscow public catering facilities (restaurants, cafes, etc.) to service tourists. Information about certified facilities should be published in a Moscow magazine and that could be used by Moscow tourist companies as a good advertisement and a guarantee of high quality meals and services for tourists.   
 
15. Introduction of new management systems and service technologies into hotel business.   
 
16. Introduction of a discount card "Moscow guest's card." The card provides for a 20 to 50-percent discount for visits to Moscow museums, usage of municipal transport, hotel accommodation, meals in some restaurants, etc. The card may be valid for 1, 2 and 3 days. The financial scheme of the card may depend on the season (summer, autumn, winter, spring) and a category of users (children, students, adults). Moscow guests will be able to receive complex services at discount prices, and the city will be interested in advance payments to its budget for new complex services.

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

  1. The final objective of a long-term program of the development of training, retraining and advanced training of experts should be the creation in Moscow of a well-functioning, multistage educational system in the field of tourism, covering all stages from the professional orientation of pupils to the highest level of qualification. The system of education should be continuous, i.e. experts should increase their professional level actually during the whole period of their careers. Otherwise, it would be impossible to make a progress in management and services, and there would be no new technologies, etc.   
 
2. Stages on the way to the final objective:   
 
2.1. To analyze the activity of educational institutions of Moscow operating in the field of tourism in order to obtain comprehensive information on their experience, training capabilities, professional composition of teachers, available material and equipment base, etc.;   
2.2. Upon the results of the analysis to specify specialization directions of educational institutions in the field of tourism;   
2.3. To introduce a system of voluntary certification of Moscow educational institutions to serve as a proof of their quality level. A list of certified educational institutions should be published in Moscow editions and on the Web-site. To regularly update this information;   
2.4. Creation of a highly professional base of educational and methodological materials for educational purposes in the field of tourism in Moscow. To analyze available textbooks and manuals. To compile a comprehensive list of these materials. To publish this list and deliver it to every Moscow educational institution. To elaborate on a list of new educational materials. To arrange for their drawing up, publishing, translation (determining a source of financing);   
2.5. Elaboration of educational programs for various spheres of educational activities (training, retraining, advanced training of experts) in accordance with professional standards;   
2.6. Creation of a unified data base of Moscow teachers using a high-level criteria to assess their professional skills and knowledge in the field of tourism in Russia, Moscow and in the world, as well as their teaching abilities, etc.;   
2.7. Elaboration of a centralized program (determining a source of financing) of training and advanced training of teachers of Moscow educational institutions;   
2.8. Elaboration of a branch educational standard of a top-level training of experts (specialty "Tourism and hotel management");   
2.9. Establishment of the main educational institution to administer the above activity with the rights for educational, scientific, research and other types of activities, and determining a source to finance the above activity (order of Moscow);   
2.10. Training, retraining and advanced training of personnel for hotels and restaurants, taking into account an increase of the demand for such personnel during the construction of new hotels and improvement of service standards in operating Moscow accommodation facilities. Establishment of a training hotel.   
2.11. Training of personnel to serve tourists at the sites of display.

Scientific backing of tourist activities

1. Marketing research of demand and supply on tourists markets of Moscow, Russia and abroad. Establishment of an analytical center of the Committee for Tourism to elaborate on short-term forecasts of the development of incoming tourism, determine the prospects to increase tourist flows, and plan measures to stimulate incoming tourism.  
    
   2. Perfection of statistical reports on all types of tourism (arrivals, period of stay, additions and changes in the capacity of various facilities, utilization level). Creation and maintenance of the city register of tour operators and agents. Elaboration of valid branch economic standards, aggregate indicators of financial and business activities of tourist enterprises. To make the hospitality industry a separate item of statistical reporting and analysis. Elaboration of an actual receipts and expenditures accounting system in tourism to decide on the rate of deductions from profits to the city budget.  
    
   3. Collection of information required for the substantiation of decisions of the Moscow Government and independent participants of the market on investments in tourism. The main aim is to determine which spheres of the market are the most profitable and promising, and the ways to cut expenditures. Analysis of problems hampering the development of the industry.  
    
   4. Elaboration of an actual receipts and expenditures accounting system in tourism. The tourist market should become "transparent." It is important to create a system able to account every dollar received in this business. This information should be used while analyzing the situation on the market and making decisions on investments. Assessment of the value of tourist resources and the rate of deductions from profits to the city budget, depending on the reliance of these resources.  
    
   5. Analysis of the efficiency of advertisement and informational expenditures.