On March 6, the regional semi-finals of the "Masters of Hospitality" competition, a project of the presidential platform, opened in Samara. "Russia is a land of opportunity". The National Union of the Hospitality Industry (NUHI) is a co-organizer of the competition. In the semi-finals Ninety-nine contestants from 19 Russian regions participated, demonstrating the best results in the remote testing stage and presenting their projects related to the tourism industry. The event was held at the Lotte Hotel Samara.
The Minister of Culture of the Samara Region took part in the opening ceremony of the semi-finals. Boris Illarionov; President of the National Union of Hospitality Industry, General Director of Mriya Resort & Spa, Competition Mentor Grant Babasyan; Head of Partner Relations at ANO "Russia - Land of Opportunities" Anton Serikov, as well as representatives of the regional administration and the Department of Tourism.
“I am pleased to welcome the semi-finalists of the Masters of Hospitality competition to Samara,” noted the Governor of the Samara Region. Dmitry Azarov"I thank the organizers for choosing our region! It's no coincidence that the Samara Region has chosen to host the semi-finals: in recent years, we've been actively developing our tourism industry, improving the quality of our service, and creating new tourist attractions. We have much to show and surprise. I hope the competition participants will find the time not only to showcase their projects but also to appreciate our hospitality. I wish all the semi-finalists success in the competition, and welcome to the Samara Region!"
Head of Partner Relations at ANO "Russia - Land of Opportunities" Anton Serikov He said that a total of 20,935 applications were received for the competition, with representatives from all 85 regions of Russia participating in the project.
"The Volga region has been rapidly developing its tourism and hospitality industries in recent years. To see this, just look at how cities like Samara, Kazan, and Nizhny Novgorod have transformed. In 2018, they brilliantly hosted the FIFA World Cup, welcoming guests from all over the world. Following this mega-sporting event, the regions haven't rested on their laurels. It's no coincidence that representatives from these territories submitted numerous applications for the competition. The host region, Samara Oblast, leads the semifinalists with 24 competitors. The Republic of Tatarstan and Nizhny Novgorod Oblast are also in the top three, with 14 each participating," he explained. Anton Serikov"The semi-finals will feature contestants who not only demonstrated the best results in the testing stage but also developed compelling tourism projects. I'm confident that many of these will be implemented in the near future, increasing the number of tourists and improving the quality of service."
During the semi-finals, contestants complete individual and group analytical tasks, present their projects, and participate in training sessions with invited experts. Over the course of two days—March 6 and 7—the competition participants' business and personal qualities will be assessed.
"Participants of various professions and ages represent 19 regions of Russia here in Samara. They include organizers of sports and tourism festivals, tour guides, and museum directors. Projects have been announced in various fields: IT, ethnic travel, and transport logistics. There's even an inclusive excursion route for the hearing-impaired," said the president of the National Union of Hospitality Industry, general director of Mriya Resort & Spa, and the competition mentor. Grant Babasyan"This semifinal coincided with the upcoming March 8th, and it just so happened to be the most 'feminine' of the bunch: 70% of the participants were female. The three youngest participants were 19 years old, and the most experienced semifinalist, Nadezhda Baulina from Penza, was 66 years old."
Ninety-nine contestants from 19 regions of Russia took part in the semi-finals of the Masters of Hospitality competition in Samara: 24 from the Samara Region, 14 each from the Republic of Tatarstan and Nizhny Novgorod Region, 8 from the Penza Region, 6 each from the Udmurt Republic and Orenburg Region, 4 each from the Volgograd, Kirov and Saratov Regions, 3 from the Mari El Republic, 2 each from Perm Krai, St. Petersburg and Ulyanovsk Region, as well as one semi-finalist each from the Astrakhan, Voronezh, Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk Regions, the Komi Republic and the Chuvash Republic.
Among the experts at the semi-final in Samara: the General Director of JSC Federal Passenger Company Peter Ivanov; Head of the Analytical Center of the National Union of the Hospitality Industry Elena Pereskokova; Head of the Reshma Medical Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia Mikhail Kizeev; Acting Director of the Catering Department of the MRIYA RESORT & SPA Andrey Semikin; Director of the Center for Organizing Cooperation with Regional and Professional Associations of the People's Republic of China under the Russian-Chinese Committee of Friendship, Peace and Development Asel Smolyar; General Director of ANO "Rus Novgorodskaya" Natalia Omarova; CEO of Business Travel Job Karina Yakovleva.
Based on the results of the semi-finals, the best contestants will be selected and will participate in the project finals.
The competition is being implemented within the framework of the federal project "Social Lifts for Everyone" of the national project "Education".
Additional information on the official website: https://welcomecup.ru/
Source: trn-news.ru