Anchor effect – Rossiyskaya Gazeta

We talked with the head of the Center for Project Development of Territories and Tourism of the Chelyabinsk Region, Maxim Melnikov, about how the region attracts guests and how the previously unusual service is developing.

Maxim Melnikov: Indeed, not so long ago we were known as a center of mechanical engineering and metallurgy, a region with a high anthropogenic load, and were not perceived as an object of tourist interest. It is this focus of perception that we have been trying to change in recent years. After all, there is everything necessary for this: national parks, ski resorts, cultural centers, museums and theaters. It is important to make them more recognizable, to ensure a qualitative transition from spontaneous to civilized tourism. And this, in turn, requires investment in the organization, arrangement of routes and updating of the entire tourism infrastructure.

To solve this problem, on behalf of the governor, we have developed comprehensive master plans for the strategic development of territories. The first reference points are the Ai River basin with the Porogi hydroelectric power station complex, the Arkaim Museum-Reserve, and the South Ural pearl – Lake Turgoyak. Organized recreation will allow redistributing tourist flows and reducing the anthropogenic load on unique natural areas. For tourists themselves, these are primarily issues of comfort and safety.

Rossiyskaya Gazeta: What tools do you use for this?

MM: Almost the entire range of government support measures. We attract federal funds: there is a program for preferential subsidies of interest rates for the construction of hotels with a capacity of 120 rooms or more. It also provides for the possibility of obtaining preferential loans for updating tourism infrastructure and equipment, for example, the construction of cable cars. And if we talk about small businesses, we use a program for allocating subsidies for the construction of modular non-permanent buildings, we support public initiatives related to the purchase of necessary equipment for beaches, holding major events and sports events, which are also a powerful point of attraction. As part of this work, the development of the territory of the multifunctional hotel complex “Vert” on Lake Uvildy, the Sunny Valley resort and other points of tourist attraction in the region continues.

As part of the master plan for the development of the Ai River territory, the Luna visitor center was built this year in the village of Mezhevoy. Soon there will be a cafe, a rental point for rafting equipment, souvenir shops – everything you need for a quality and interesting holiday. In addition, a new tourist camp is also preparing to open on the territory of Arkaim for a comfortable stay for tourists. Work is underway here to build a modular hotel with guest houses equipped with everything necessary. The most immediate plans include the launch of a visitor center, just like on the Ai River.

The popularity of our national parks is growing. Today we are among the top 10 Russian regions in terms of visits. In recent years, the infrastructure there has been seriously improved, observation decks are being built, new trails are opening, travel is becoming safer, more informative and interesting for people with a variety of needs and capabilities. We are actively creating tools for the development of specially protected natural areas (SPNA). For example, we developed a master plan for the development of the largest Donguzlovsky nature reserve in Russia, the main purpose of which is the preservation of unique Red Book waterfowl. Methodological recommendations for regional protected areas have been created.

We promote tourism products at professional industry, federal and interregional events in the field of tourism, and post information about our potential in other regions of the Russian Federation. For this purpose, we have formed two mobile information centers that are actively moving throughout the Greater Urals and beyond.

Taking into account the fact that there is a positive trend, the number of tourists is growing, the region must increase its capacity to receive them. On the other hand, this is a chain reaction – renovated areas attract more attention and thereby increase the flow of guests. The key task is to create anchor projects that will further increase tourism potential.

RG: Is this what master plans are for?

MM: They make it possible to unite all parties interested in the development of tourism – regional and municipal authorities, development institutions, experts, the local community and business. Because first of all it is necessary to achieve a balance of interests of all parties. The second task is to create conditions for year-round attraction of tourists by including thermal and ski resorts, excursions to historical monuments and industrial tourism in the program of visits, in the development of which our region is recognized as one of the country’s leaders.

The new tourism sector performs many tasks – career guidance for young people, business exchange, and demonstration of industrial potential, allowing enterprises to expand partnership programs and build new chains of cooperation. And in a broad sense, it demonstrates how the industrial region is changing and how modern technological processes are reducing their impact on the environment.

Photo: Press service of the Government of the Chelyabinsk region

In addition, we have a lot of industrial heritage from the time of development of the Urals. These are hundreds of iconic objects of the so-called mining civilization. And we are trying to use this exclusive historical material. That is, we are trying to achieve a synergistic effect, using it as a competitive advantage.

By the way, this year a program for certification of guides was launched and certification of guides is being prepared. To transition to the systematic development of tourism, we must be confident in the quality and safety of the product provided by tour guides on our territory.

RG: Maxim Sergeevich, can you draw a portrait of a tourist: who comes to us and what locations they choose?

MM: Tourism development practices throughout the country today are the same. About 60 percent of all tourist exchange occurs in neighboring regions. For us, these are the subjects of the Greater Urals, including the Perm Territory and Bashkiria. And we are actively cooperating with them, discussing the creation of interregional tourism products that would simultaneously cover several territories. On our behalf, we offer our exclusive tourist route “Chelyabinsk: even meteorites come to us”, the program of which included Miass with its history of the “gold rush”, Lake Turgoyak and the mystical island of Vera, Zlatoust with its gunsmiths and steel engravings, and definitely a national park Taganay, Satka and Chelyabinsk.

At the beginning of October, 33 tour operators from different regions of Russia and Belarus visited us. They gave the region as a whole and its first national route a score of 4.95 out of five. And the Taganay National Park with its visitor center, Zlatoust and Satka received the highest marks. I would like to note the work of my colleagues who brought interesting ideas from an information tour of Tyumen and implemented them here right off the bat. Guests especially enjoyed the master classes on arts and crafts and the tasting of Ural cuisine with a story about the history of the dishes offered.

When we asked the guests about their impressions of the Chelyabinsk region, we did not hear a single annoying cliché about factory chimneys, bumpy roads and harsh people. Tour operators were delighted with the stunning nature, hospitality and comfort. Moreover, this is seen not only by our neighbors, but also by tourists from afar. This year, for example, the number of air flights from Moscow to our ski resorts has increased. Unlike last year, our number of days of stay during the New Year holidays has doubled – from five to ten days.

As for the portrait, youth and family tourism are most strongly represented today. It was recently calculated that on average a tourist stays in the region for four days and spends at least nine thousand rubles a day. This is one of the best indicators in the Urals Federal District.

On the other hand, the president has set an ambitious goal to increase the share of tourism in GDP to five percent. The national figure is now at 2.6 percent. Our share of tourism in the gross regional product is still 2.3 percent. So there is still room to grow and something to strive for.