Last week, it was announced that Zarina Doguzova had been appointed head of Rostourism. This personnel change sparked a heated reaction from tourism industry representatives, with some arguing that the agency should be headed by someone previously in charge. Some have a direct connection to working in tourism, while others believe the industry has long been in need of a fresh perspective and a modern approach. Against this backdrop, TRN's editorial team reached out to Diana Ferdman, head of the travel company "Belmare," host of a popular tourism video blog, founder of one of the most popular professional tourism groups on Facebook, and teacher and coach, to share her expectations and predictions.
A remarkable new trend is emerging in the Russian government. The charming Zarina Doguzova, a former employee of the presidential administration's press service, has become the new head of Rostourism. This was followed by news of Svetlana Balayeva's appointment as Minister of Resorts and Tourism of the Krasnodar Krai. How will the arrival of young, promising women at the helm impact Russian domestic and outbound tourism?
Personally, I think the influx of fresh energy, young blood, and a modern personality will have a mixed effect on the overall atmosphere. Zarina Doguzova's presence on social media has generated a lot of gossip. While her Instagram page couldn't be found, her Facebook photos have leaked online. However, there's nothing criminal about them—they're just photos of a beautiful woman. It's more unusual for a twenty-first-century person to not have a social media page than vice versa.
I'd like to point out something else. Zarina Doguzova is a practitioner who has successfully supported major international events in the media and public relations fields, and has considerable experience developing strategies for supporting presidential decisions. In other words, with her skillful use of certain tools, Zarina Doguzova can present any news story with the right spin. She has tremendous potential and remarkable talent for influencing public opinion, sentiment, and priorities.
Travel agents are advised to closely monitor this politician's sentiments and behavior. It's quite possible that we will need to work under a careful analysis of her opinions. The changes could be far more sweeping than previously anticipated. All indications are that this trend toward domestic tourism development will only continue to grow and strengthen.
We're expecting an interesting year with equally interesting changes in Russian travel patterns. I predict extensive advertising campaigns supporting Russian resorts and a host of measures to redirect vacationers to the Krasnodar Krai. Some outbound tourism specialists will likely have to partially refocus on selling tours to domestic destinations. Whether this is for the better will be determined by the peak season and the results after it ends. "Don't count your chickens in the fall."
Source: trn-news.ru