From April 25 to 26, the 7th International Tourism Forum "Greater Urals" was held in Yekaterinburg. This year, the event set a new record, bringing together over 2,500 people from 11 countries, 24 Russian regions, and 23 municipalities of the Sverdlovsk region.
As he emphasized Acting Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region Alexey OrlovThe expansion in the number and geography of participants undoubtedly indicates that the forum has become an authoritative communications platform for developing approaches to developing the tourism sector into a fully-fledged economic sector.
"The forum has deservedly earned its status as an effective business platform, defining the main directions for the further development of tourism, bringing together leading tourism industry specialists and experts from around the world and across the country. We are pleased to welcome representatives from delegations from Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Tajikistan, and we hope that our countries will develop a successful partnership not only in tourism but also in other significant areas of social and economic development. We are also very pleased to see active responses from regions of the Russian Federation. This demonstrates that our forum is developing and confirms its relevance and importance," said Alexey Orlov, emphasizing that 12 tourism agreements have already been concluded with other regions of the Russian Federation.
According to the heads of foreign delegations, the forum is a promising platform for promoting their countries and will help establish bilateral tourism flows.
The advantages of each subject of the Greater Urals were discussed at the forum. Assistant to the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Urals Federal District Anna LenskayaIn particular, tourists are interested in the unique natural environment, cultural and historical heritage, developed industrial sector, and medical sector.
Director of National convention bureau Alexey Kalachev noted that the Sverdlovsk region is consistently a leader in the development of business tourism.
"In terms of event potential ratings, the Sverdlovsk Region has consistently ranked second in the country for five years. This is due to the large number of major events held here and, most importantly, to the regional leadership's commitment to promoting the region," said Alexey Kalachev.
Vice President Russian Union of Travel Industry Olga Sanaeva She noted that the issues discussed at the forum could become part of the federal agenda.
"I believe that some of the positions we'll discuss here today will be voiced tomorrow at the meeting of the Coordinating Council for Tourism Development under the Government of the Russian Federation. The Sverdlovsk Region, in fact, has some of the best practices in tourism development, including for children. The way it was done here—kindly, caringly, and with respect for children—is something we can all learn from," the expert emphasized.
During the first day of the forum, tourism authorities from eight regions signed a memorandum aimed at developing the Great Ural Route ecological route.
Furthermore, the management company of the Belaya Mountain tourism cluster signed agreements with its first three residents. Specifically, the project of the extreme program and travel studio "World of Adventures" includes the construction of three campsites near the Chusovaya River. The second project is aimed at constructing a zipline attraction with the longest rope slide in Europe—1.5 kilometers long and with an elevation change of approximately 250 meters. The third project is being implemented by a married couple from Yekaterinburg who spent two years on a round-the-world trip. Within the cluster, the couple plans to build a glamping site and eco-hotel in the village of Ust-Utka.
A number of agreements were also signed at the forum with the Sverdlovsk Region Tourism Development Center. The event also featured an arts and crafts exhibition, guided tours, seminars, and master classes for tour agency managers and tour guides.
Source: trn-news.ru