How to Attract Tourists in Vladivostok

VLADIVOSTOK. January 22. VOSTOK-MEDIA – According to the results of the year 2008, Primorsky Krai entered the list of five top regions with highest industrial production index.-121,8 % (the average in Russia -105,8%). Projected growth of the Gross Regional Product will amount at least 5,8 % according to the results of the year 2008.
The capital of Primorskiy Krai – Vladivostok – is a cultural-economical center of the Far East. There are unique tourist resources in Vladivostok. The summit-APEC-2012 will facilitate the development of the city. As part of the Federal Target Programme for Development of the Far East and Transbaikalia the subprogramme ‘the Development of the Vladivostok city as center of the international cooperation in Asia Pacific region’. The amount of money appropriated for this project will make up 283 billions rubbles.
About 40 thousand of foreign tourists visited the city in the year 2008. Formally the amount of tourists reduces (in 2005 they accounted for 125,000), because the amount of shuttle traders and Chinese citizens dwindles who takes trips in the region with commercial purposes.
According to optimistic forecast the amount of tourists will increase by 2-3 times by the time of the beginning of the summit in comparison with current rates as a result of growth in business tourism as well as recreation tourism.
In the period from July till September rooms occupied in the hotels of Vladivostok exceeds 120 %; sometimes rooms are equipped by additional beds. In wintertime the rate of occupation scarcely exceeds 15 %. Thus the average rate is 40 %. To assure profitability of the hotel business the proprietors have to raise prices on services in summer.
Officially there are 39 hotels with total hotel room capacity 4,400 rooms (including sanatoriums and recreation centers; 18 hotels with 2,200 rooms without them) in the city with population 550 thousand people. There is the only ‘4 star’ hotel- “Hyundai”. ‘AZIMUT Hotel Vladivostok’, ‘Versal’, ‘Akfes Seyo’ and ‘Gavan’ qualify for ‘3 star’ hotels. The majority of hotels are the ones with lower capacity (up to 100 rooms) which specializing in business tourists who make up the main source of their incomes.
Two ‘3 star’ hotels – ‘Visit Vladivostok’ (with 40 rooms capacity) and ‘Cleopatra’ (with 50 rooms) will appear in Vladivostok in the year 2009. Besides, the French company Accor Group, American company Marriot International and also Korean and Japanese ones plan to branch out new hotels in Vladivostok in the nearest future.
The foreign investors are still waiting for clearness with construction of the hotel objects under preparation to summit-APEC-2012. According to official statement, two hotels (with 3 and 4 ‘stars’) will be constructed in the first place.
Besides the competition of the construction of ‘5 star’ hotel in Vladivostok is quite possible.