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The Travel Trade Fair week in St. Petersburg came to an end on October 14, 2011. Such trade shows as INWETEX-CIS Travel Market, SPAS 2011, MICE industry, Medical Tourism and St. Petersburg Forum “New Look at Russia” functioned within its framework. Business meetings and negotiations have been held, deals have been made, protocols have been signed and topical issues of the tourism industry have been discussed during the three days of the Travel Trade Fair. In his speech A. B. Chichkanov mentioned that St. Petersburg is becoming a more and more cosmopolitan and multiethnic city which singles it out of other tourist centres. As I. P. Kirsanov, General Director of RESTEC®, has pointed out, “the meeting place cannot be changed, and this place is INWETEX; as the organizers of the event we’ve tried to create the most favourable conditions so that negotiations and business meetings could take place”. INWETEX-CIS Travel Market is one of the biggest tourism events in Russia. 463 companies from 37 countries have submitted their proposals for the new tourist season, including companies from Germany, Greece, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, India, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, China, Singapore, Israel, Cuba, Malaysia, Norway, Poland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Finland, Czech Republic, and Estonia. Companies from Singapore and Sicily as well as the Emirates Airline participated in the Exhibition for the first time. SPAS 2011 The SPAS exhibition has also got its fair share of the specialists’ attention. This exhibition has been demonstrating the potential of both Russian and foreign health and resort complex for 17 years already. More than 60 companies including the Administration of Caucasian Mineral Waters, the spa city of Anapa, Crimean resorts, Hungarian Bukfurdo thermal resort and other organizations participated in this year’s exposition. The event unites the efforts of health and resort complex aimed at the advancement of spa, fitness and therapeutic recreation into both Russian and foreign markets. This project contributes to the formation and strengthening of connections between travel industry members. MICE Industry One of the priority goals of St. Petersburg is active development of the business tourism industry which, according to Chairman of the Committee for Investments and Strategic Projects A. B. Chichkanov, will give a new impulse to the expansion of political and cultural bonds as well as favour the city’s entry into the international MICE market, and, as a result, will contribute to economic growth of the region. In 2011, the MICE Industry Exhibition united more than 30 companies including the State complex “The National Conress Palace”, such hotels as Elisar, Atrium and Polustrovo, Verkhnie Mandrogi Village and others. Also, hotels Milan and Prestige as well as the Business Service Club Apex company have joined the constantly growing entry list. Medical tourism The Medical Tourism exhibition and conference became the novelty of the event. More than 20 companies, including German major medical centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, The Rabin Medical Centre, Singapore Vita Agency, Vilnius Heart Surgery Centre Kardiolita, Lithuanian Tourist Club and other specialized medical institutions presented their range of services and new programs. Appearance of an international specialised exhibition on the North-West exhibition market is determined by the spirit of the times. By active development this trend has an increasing influence on Russian public health system and insurance companies’ activity, that pay for their clients’ medical treatment in foreign clinics more and more often. According to the event participants, Russia and the whole CIS area should be regarded as the most perspective market for the development of this particular tourism segment. For the first time within the framework of INWETEX Exhibition the Medical Tourism international conference was held, which gathered more than 80 experts from Russia and countries of near and far abroad. Welcoming speech was given by Yuriy Petrov, Head of National and Foreign Medical Institutions Relations Department of Health Care Committee of Saint Petersburg City Administration. Problems of perspective incoming medical tourism development in Russia, private clinics facilities, legal bearings of conclusion of contracts, insurance particularities were reported at great length in the reports of experts in various medical tourism fields. Specialists from Spain, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Israel and Lithuania shared their instructive experience. Kristina Ionitskaya’s report on European medical tourism development on the basis of public-private partnership aroused great interest. Business and cultural programs Business program was filled with interesting and topical theme events. Problems of hotel business development in Russia were discussed within the framework of 11th St. Petersburg Tourist Forum NEW WINDOWS ON RUSSIA. Hospitality experts – the Hotels Club, St. Petersburg Committee of Investments and Strategic Projects, Vodokanal SUE, Cronwell Management representatives and others shared their experience. The experts particularly noted presentations of resort program of Mauritius Island and Dubai, exciting travel tours of French provinces and various educational programs of schools and colleges in the United Kingdom. Traditionally, the Meeting Place – St. Petersburg children's drawing competition took place at the exhibition.28 students of art schools of the city presented their works. The best drawings were chosen by open ballot, but nobody of the young artists left the exhibition without prizes and presents, that were provided by the event organizers and participants – Tez Tour and NEVA companies, S7, Bookvoed Literary Café, TurProfi.ru and Telegramma Travel tourism magazine. Summing up, we can say with certainty that the INWETEX-CIS Travel Market exhibition demonstrated clearly the appeal and the great potential of touristic resources of St. Petersburg and of Russia as a whole. Welcome to the 20th anniversary exhibition INWETEX-CIS TRAVEL MARKET 2012 on October 4-6! The general information partner of the Week of Travel Exhibitions was represented by Metro newspaper. Organizers: |
