The head of the region opened the first interregional exhibition “Tourism, Recreation and Recovery”, which took place at Penza Concert Hall on Friday, 27 April 2018.
The exhibition arranged by the order of the governor is held from 27 to 28 April. It includes more than 80 participants. This large-scale event is aimed at developing inbound and outbound tourism, improving interregional tourist links, enhancing the image of the Penza region in the sphere of tourism, presenting new routes and existing unique projects, as well as discussing the topical issues at the single exhibition venue.
The topics of sections comprise: travel companies offering active, adventure, cruise and children recreation; event tourism; health resorts, recreation and retreat centres, tourist complexes (medical and wellness tourism); booking and selling tickets; tourist equipment; museums; hotels, hostels, and camping sites; restaurants and cafes; souvenirs; insurance and banking services; aviation operations, ground handling; specialised educational institutions.
The participating organisations represent the Moscow, Voronezh, Samara and Saratov regions, the republics of Mari El and Mordovia.
“The Penza region has excellent opportunities to welcome Russian and foreign tourists,” Ivan Belozertsev stated addressing the participants during the opening ceremony of the interregional exhibition.
“We have much to show, that is cultural and historical sites, places associated with great Russians. We are ready to provide our guests with comfortable living conditions in modern hotels. We have restaurants and cafes with delicious cuisine,” he specified.
The governor noted the increased tourist attractiveness of the Penza region and reported that the volume of visitors to the region has more than tripled in 2017. In addition, the influx of foreign tourists to the territorial entity of the Russian Federation has significantly increased.
Ivan Belozertsev called on the representatives of tourism industry to create favourable conditions in order to enhance the number of holidaymakers in the region every year.
“We need to work with guests so that they would like to return to the Penza region,” he explained, adding that the interregional exhibition will give a new impetus for the development of recreation, recovery and leisure activities.
During the visit to the exhibition facilities, the governor talked with representatives of most organisations that featured goods and services on the Penza exhibition.
Currently, 370 cultural heritage sites are located in the Penza region, 47 of which are of federal importance, while 321 and 2 sites are of regional and local significance respectively. Moreover, there are eight estate complexes, three of them are under federal jurisdiction. They are Lermontov Museum-Reserve “Tarkhany” in Belinsky sub-district, Kurakin Estate “Nadezhdino” in Serdobsky sub-district, and Golitsyny Estate in Tamalinsky sub-district of the Penza region.
The hospitality industry is well-developed in the region: 126 hotels operate, 33 tourist centres and 10 health resorts offer recreation services.
The mysterious caves of hermits and sacred springs, churches and monasteries represent the Orthodox nature of the Penza region. There are places associated with the names of great romantic novelists and thinkers, such as Lermontov and Radishchev, Lazhechnikov and Zagoskin, Saltykov-Shchedrin and Davydov, Ogaryov and Kuprin, Belinsky and Malyshkin. They reveal the literary character of the region. Penza also has some cinematic features represented by the legacy of the brothers Aleksandr and Ivan Mozzhukhiny. The ethnographic essence of Penza is displayed through the variety of arts and folk crafts from the Abbashev clay toys and willow weaving to modern glass and crystal products.
“We should reconsider the issue of arranging school trips in the Penza region,” Ivan Belozertsev instructed the accompanying officials while touring the exhibition.
“It is imperative that our students have greater opportunities to study history and cultural traditions of their native region, so that they know our outstanding compatriots,” he underlined.
Health resorts and retreat centres for fishing and horse riding were presented to the governor. He also examined the exhibition stands of reserve museums, folk museums, and Penza legends and myths centre and learnt that there are scientific, anomalous and even esoteric kinds of tourism in the region. Besides, the only bread museum in the region is situated in Bashmakovsky sub-district.
“The interactive presentation of material is a great thing. This is right to acquaint visitors with the historical background of bread production and to implant respectful attitude to the work of cereal growers,” the head of the region pointed.
Following the exhibition, Ivan Belozertsev expressed his wish to conduct open-air tourist presentations in the future in order to attract as many people as possible. He also issued several specific orders aimed at supporting tourism industry in the region.
