Rafis Burganov: ‘It takes more than 5 hours to get to Bolgar by river – it is too much’
At the session of RT State Council Committee on economy, investments and entrepreneurship, the deputies discussed issues of development of tourism in the Republic. The parliamentary meeting was attended by the correspondent of Realnoe Vremya.
One ruble brings 43 kopeks to the Republic
'We were the first in Russia who included the tourism in the economic bloc. And we have done it not in vain,' with these words the Chairman of the Committee on economy, investments and entrepreneurship of the State Council of Tatarstan Rafis Burganov opened the session, and gave the floor to the first speaker.
According to the Chairman of Tatarstan State Committee on Tourism Sergey Ivanov, due to a sharp increase in foreign currency value there was a growth of domestic tourist traffic. In 2015, the internal flow in the country amounted to more than 50 million trips.
Among the achievements of the Republic, he called the development of the concept Visit Tatarstan.
'The idea of this project is that Tatarstan is a region of a thousand and one delights. Tatarstan has everything except sea. But we have the sea – it is the sea of pleasure,' said Ivanov.
Also last year on federal highways there were installed 36 new road signs for tourists in the direction of Bolgar and Sviyazhsk. The organized tourist flow in the Great Bolgar was more than 349 thousand people, which is 22% more than the previous year. To the island town of Sviyazhsk the flow amounted to 261 thousand people (by 43% more).
Besides, we opened 25 new hotels and hostels. The total number of accommodation facilities amounted to 385 units. At the same time, they can accomodate up to 39 thousand people. The average occupancy rate of hotels increased by 6% and amounted to 54%.
'We have a positive trend of growth along major tourist industries,' said the speaker. Tourist flow in 2015 amounted to 2.7 million people. The volume of rendered services in tourism sphere (excluding related industries) — 11.3 billion rubles (by 12.8% more). Taking into account related industries (food, entertainment, shopping etc.) — not less than 18.4 billion rubles. The volume of tax payments amounted to 7.9 billion rubles. Thus, one ruble spent by a tourist brings 43 kopeks.'
Tatarstan in terms of tourism development takes the fifth place after Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Krasnodar Krai and Crimea.
The goal – 3.8 million tourists
Tourism, according to the speaker, is the fastest growing sector of the RT. The average growth rate is 10-15% per year. The tourist industry employs at least 40 thousand people.
Ivanov also voiced the objectives for themselves and the authorities in the near future.
So, he intends to run tourist and recreational clusters on the banks of the Volga and Kama:
'This is especially important in the Year of the water protection zones in the country. In addition to the existing and planned for the construction objects of infrastructure, we will determine and reserve coastal areas to create new objects.'
The second challenge he named is the development of small river fleet. This requires to update and to maintain the fleet of small river boats. Currently, this fleet in the Republic has only 17 units, an average age is 40 years. At the same time, today there is no clear mechanism for the modernization of the river fleet for the use of resources of the Volga and Kama in the field of tourism.
Promising countries, from where it is possible to increase the flow of guests of the Republic, the head of the State Committee for tourism named China, Iran, Gulf countries and Finland.
'To attract tourists to us we need to create a new tourism quality product and not only in the sphere of cultural-cognitive, but also industrial, agricultural, educational and automotive tourism. We are also working on the formation of new interesting tourism events. In every tourist center of the Republic of Tatarstan there should be some attractive event for the guests,' he said.
The next task he determined is the creating of a hub in Tatarstan on the routes on the Middle Volga and the Volga Federal district.
The development of sanatorium-resort complex is also not less important area, said the rapporteur. In his opinion, the deputies should determine the land tax rates in order to take into account the interests of the representatives of the spa and resort business.
'Most of the health resorts in Tatarstan has a large area, they are necessary for conducting health treatments, as well as for recreation of tourists,' he explained. 'But the upper and lower boundaries of the land tax are different. Managers and owners of resorts have to solve this issue with the local municipal authorities always individually. The reduction of the rate of land tax for the subject of sanatorium industry in the framework of current legislation is an effective measure of state support.'
In carrying out these tasks, Ivanov hopes, that by 2020, the number of tourists will reach 3.8 million people.
The deputies, in their turn, pointed out the necessity of smoothing of seasonal factor. For this it is needed to pay more attention to the medical tourism.
'It takes more than 5 hours to get to Bolgar by river – it is too much,' noted Burganov. 'We need to introduce high-speed boats.'