Sergey Ivanov: 'Next year the package tours of Tatarstan will be in the grid of large German tour operators'

Fight for every percent

In the first six months of 2016, the number of tourists in Tatarstan has grown by 12.2% in comparison with the first half of 2015. In absolute numbers, in 2015, the Republic was visited by 2.7 million people. This year the State Committee for tourism is expecting a figure at about 3 million people. However, this is only a forecast — the exact figures will be known only at the beginning of 2017, said Ivanov. As for the turnover of the industry, in the first six months the tourists spent in Tatarstan 8 billion rubles.

However, Kazan remains a city for weekend trips, although these figures are also rising. Last year, the average vacationing period in Kazan was 2.2 days. In 2016, the figure has risen up to 2.7 days. 'We are working to increase the staying period. For us, every tenth part of a day of a tourist staying is serious money,' said Sergey Ivanov.

As for the hotels, the figures have increased. For 8 months of 2016, the hotels were occupied at about 61% in average. In 2015, given that the 2015 World Aquatics Championships was held here, the occupancy was 58%.

Ivanov also said that any innovation in infrastructure, even the emergence of new spots to eat, can already be considered a breakthrough

The quay in Bolgar

Speaking about the development of Bolgar, Sergey Ivanov said that the opening of the quay is an important event. Now people can get the reserve by cruise ships, from the Volga River or the Kama River. Now the two- and three-deck vessels can get there.

'This is a major infrastructural breakthrough. Maybe it is not global yet in absolute terms, but from the point of view of infrastructure it is a fundamental breakthrough,' says Ivanov.

Another achievement concerns the Great Bolgar Festival. In 2016, it was held for the third time and was the record-breaking in attendance. It was visited by 38 thousand people. 'For two days, for one travel destination — it is a huge number,' said the guest of Realnoe Vremya.

Ivanov also said that any innovation in infrastructure, even the emergence of new spots to eat, can already be considered a breakthrough. Among these small but important objects is the cafe 'Blinnaya' (Pancake House) and the created by the initiative of the Church the guest house 'Cossack Slobodka'. It is expected that it will be a place to stay not only for pilgrims but also for ordinary tourists.

According to Sergey Ivanov, the quay will start working in full force in the spring of 2017, with the beginning of the shipping season

An incentive parking for the whole town-island

The Sviyazhsk island will also have an opportunity to appreciate the advantages of the quay next year. Now the bank protection and dredging works are completing, they are at the stage of paperwork, which will be transferrd to the operator. According to Sergey Ivanov, the quay will start working in full force in the spring of 2017, with the beginning of the shipping season.

Ivanov says that Sviyazhsk is becoming more popular. There were even days when there were too much tourists on the island-town: 'Sometimes the tourist groups had negative emotions. Our tourists are not accustomed to the fact that at some objects they have to wait a bit. Not everyone, unfortunately, reacted to this situation appropriately.'

The second issue – in such peak days, usually the weekends, the parking of the island cannot admit all the cars. So, next year they will begin to build an intercept parking in Sviyazhsk. It will start working in 2018.

The Germans are in the city

Ivanov told how Tatarstan attracts foreign tourists. The head of the State Committee explained that in the first place the Republic works with the regions, where there are direct flights and from where the bulk of the foreigners comes to Tatarstan. The Committee arranges road shows in other countries, brings bloggers and foreign journalists to Tatarstan to tell about the potential and possibilities.

A usual supplier of tourists is considered to be China. This summer the charter flight Ürümqi-Kazan was opened. The load was about 50%. Ivanov noted that China is a complex country, with strong competition. So, the carrier that launched this flight turned out to be under pressure from the Chinese, Kazakhstani and even Russian colleagues: 'It is not easy for him, but we are ttrying to help him. Now several more flights will take place and the project will stop because the warm weather and the season end.'

All the initiatives that enable to bring to Tatarstan the tourists from Russia and from abroad, we are ready to support with all available resources

Ivanov hopes that in the spring the flights will be resumed. To increase the viability of this project they want through the establishment of a route Kazan-Moscow-Saint-Petersburg. When the tourists will begin to actively use it, Tatarstan is going to offer package tours with locations within the Republic.

Iran is also interested in the Muslim regions of Russia. So, Tatarstan for the tourists of this country is in an advantageous position, said Ivanov. He said that the Committee intends to bring to the Republic Iranian journalists, and from 2017 to offer specific package tours. One of the options is based on the experience of work with the Chinese tourists when they arrive to Kazan, they spend a few days here, and then go to Moscow or Petersburg.

Also, starting from 2017, the package tours will be available for the German tourists. 'Next year the package tours of Tatarstan will appear in the grid of very large German tour operators and several middle operators of Germany,' said Ivanov. So, next year the Germans will have an opportunity to fly to Kazan from Frankfurt permanently, with which it has direct flights.

'We are ready to support all the initiatives that enable to bring to Tatarstan the tourists from Russia and from abroad with all available resources,' said Sergey Ivanov.