New Year in Moscow becomes more interesting and profitable

Moscow is expecting more tourists than ever. If compared to the previous year, tour operators, museums and hotels note an increase in demand. For such segment as school groups the demand has almost doubled, and for adult tour groups it increased by 30-40%. The greatest interest for visiting our capital was shown by schoolchildren, youth and families from various cities of Russia. This was told by the Head of the Moscow City Committee for Tourism and Hotel Industry Sergey Shpilko.

According to him, for the New Year holiday period the accommodation in Moscow hotels of an average price category was available for 5.2 thousand roubles per person per night. If we include a celebratory dinner and breakfast, the price will be seven thousand roubles per person. Moscow tour operators offered plenty of entertainment and educational tours meant for both adults and children.

According to Moscow Tourism Committee, celebrating New Year in our capital will be profitable. The cost of a New Year trip to one of the European capitals, which are so popular in Christmas times, will amount to one thousand euro with an accommodation in a standard 3* hotel room. It will cost almost the same to celebrate the New Year in a countryside recreation and retreat center or holiday houses in Greater Moscow Area. In Moscow, guests will be able to accommodate in a 4* hotel and have their first breakfast in the new year for less than 100 euro. It’s not for nothing that celebrating the New Year in Moscow is gaining popularity among Muscovites themselves.

Sergey Shpilko is sure that New Year holidays, which traditionally are not in demand on the domestic market, can become high season for Moscow. An extensive cultural program of these days will contribute to it as well. From 20^th of December to 8^th of January about 1300 various events will be held within the New Year City Festival. Such large scale celebrations have never been held in the city. Christmas fairs on the pedestrian zone in the center of the capital, in particular, in Tverskoy passage, in Stoleshnikov lane, in Petrovka Street, Bolshaya Dmitrovka, Rozhdestvenka street, Kuznetsky most, in Kamergerskiy and Lavrushinsky alleys will become the central location of the New Year City Festival.

For the first time the famous Strasbourg Christmas market, which has successfully traveled in many countries, will take place in Moscow. 20 wooden Christmas Chalets selling Christmas decorations, Christmas trees, French pastries, cakes and wine will be placed in the center of the capital. The French craftsmen will give a series of master-classes for children and adults.

Okhotny Ryad, Lubyanka square, Vasilyevsky Spusk and Revolution square will become the main interactive spaces. Muscovites and guests of the capital are to see two high-altitude fireworks, which will be set off on the Moskva river (immediately after the peal of bells) and on the Vorobyovy Hills (on the first of January at 1 am). Besides, fireworks will be set off at 10 spots in the administrative districts.

On January 7, a festive program in the honor the Nativity will be held on square near the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. From 2^nd to 8^th of January more than 60 Moscow museums and almost 30 exhibition halls will be open for free visits.