Russia and Italy agreed to
carry out mutual tourist years in 2013-2014. The respective document was signed
on March 21, 2013 by Russian Culture Minister, Vladimir Medinsky, and Italian
Tourism Minister Pierro Gnudi at Moscow's
MITT travel trade fair.
The
project was initiated by the Italian side after it saw the success of the
mutual tourism year held between Russia
and China that, according to
the Deputy Minister of Culture of Russia, Alla Manilova, resulted in over 40%
increase in the tourist flow from China.
During
a press briefing at the Italian booth, Mrs. Manilova told about the project's
key objective being the mutual promotion of regions and interregional tourist
products, aimed at reminding the two countries' citizens that Italy has to offer not only Rome
and Milan and Russia
doesn't end in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. The countries have the
intention to encourage active cooperation between the club of The Most
Beautiful Small Towns of Italy and the Union of Small Towns of Russia; a
partnership agreement between the to associations was signed as early as 2010.
The Director of ENIT's Moscow office Mr. Marco
Bruschini said that the Italian tourism authority is going to participate in
the Expotravel trade show in Yekaterinburg this autumn, where it intends to
carry out a presentation of small towns of Italy.
The
tourism year will last from September 2013 to the same month in 2014. The
events schedule is still being formed; but it's sure to feature various
presentations, congresses, travel trade fairs, press-tours, as well as educational
and youth activities.
As
per the data of the Ministry of Culture of Russia, cited by Mrs. Manilova, last
year, our country was visited by 212 thousand Italian tourists (Rosstat gives a
smaller number: 118.7 thousand), while Italy welcomed 800 thousand Russians.
The Ambassador Mr. Antonio Landi hopes to issue more entry permits in Russia this
year: "In 2012 we issued 650 thousand visas; this year we plan to serve
one million applicants." Mr. Landi added that the Italian government is
looking into a possibility of providing visas to some categories of Russian
applicants free of charge.
"Russia is
becoming a key market for us," the Ambassador pointed out," And what proves
it better than the extent of our presence at MITT? We'd like you to note that
our booth here is much bigger that the one we had in Berlin at ITB." 16 Italian regions and
15 private travel companies have come to Moscow
this year, the Director General of ENIT, Mr. Andrea Babbi, specified. The Republic of San Marino
presented itself in Russia
for the first time this year. So did the Italian railways, wishing to see more
Russian tourists onboard their trains.