Russia picked Riga as its tourism embassy
For strengthening of relations with tourists from near-by
European states, Russia decided to put up a base in Riga, declared the
counsellor of the Ministry of Culture of Russia Mr. Nikolay Novichkov. Not only
is Riga a beautiful city, it is also a major tourist center, so convenient for
keeping in touch with Baltic travel community. “And for Russia, Riga is the
best place to do it from”, said Mr. Novichkov.
In pursuit of further
development of Russian-Baltic tourist ties, the “Balttour Forum. Focus on CIS” will be held in Riga on February
6-9, right on the eve of the Balttour-2013 travel trade fair. Besides that, the
first Russian-Baltic Forum on Culture and Tourism, dedicated to travel
cooperation in the Baltics and Northern Europe and the development of tourist
exchange between Russia and other countries. The forum is organized by Russian
Ministry of Culture in liaison with Baltic regional branch of the Russian Union
of Travel Industry (RUTI) and the Balttour trade fair, supported by Riga City
Council and the city's Tourism Development Bureau. The RUTI's Baltic Office,
headed by Ilona Ansone, is engaged in the preparation of business and cultural
activities of the forum, which is going to be attended by Baltic states'
officials, particularly the head of tourism department at the Polish Ministry
of Sports and Tourism Mrs. Maria Napiorkowska, the chairman of International
Ties Committee of the German association Allianz Selbstandiger Reiseunternehmen
(ASR) Mr. Detlef Meyer; visits of business guests from Finland, Denmark and
Sweden are on the forum's schedule as well.
The "Russian
Day", planned for February 6, 2013, is to start with a joint
press-conference held by the Deputy Minister of Culture of