This year, new participants appeared among old acquaintances: guests of the exhibition were warmly greeted by national stands of Slovakia and Malaysia. Russian companies presented their programs - these include the ski resorts of Dombay and cruises along the Volga. Newcomer companies from Norway, Georgia, the Dominican Republic, Peru, and Kenya readily presented their tourism product.
Martin Paulsen, an employee of the Norwegian Embassy in Ukraine:
- The tourism department of the Norwegian Embassy in Ukraine is presenting its exposition for the first time. It is important for us to introduce Ukrainian tour operators to the tourism product of our country. In addition, we try to provide maximum consultation to all those interested in obtaining visas.
Of course, the majority of tourists from the former CIS countries who come to Norway are Russians. However, recently the share of guests from Ukraine has been increasing. First of all, of course, it is worth noting traditional sightseeing tourism – monuments of history and culture, visiting cities such as Oslo, Bergen, or the "Northern Paris" - Tromsø.
In Oslo, be sure to go to the Bygdøy Peninsula: here are the Fram Museum (which houses Nansen's ship of the same name), the Kon-Tiki Museum, the Viking Ship Museum, and the Norwegian Folk Museum. Leave a little time for rest and go to Vigeland Sculpture Park, where more than 190 different sculptures are picturesquely placed amid lush greenery.
In northern Norway, there is also the picturesque town of Stavanger, which can boast the largest number of ancient wooden buildings in all of Europe. By the way, Stavanger has been nominated as the European Capital of Culture 2008 – the city constantly hosts folklore and cultural festivals, fairs of folk crafts.
In the south of the country, one cannot miss Trondheim – the ancient capital of Norway. Here, in the Nidaros Cathedral, the coronation ceremony of Norwegian kings has been held for several thousand years. Tourists also enjoy visiting the Museum of Musical History, which houses a large collection of musical instruments from different times around the world. The island of Munkholmen is very picturesque, where you can see the ruins of an 11th-century monastery. By the way, this place is famous as an excellent beach.
Recently, summer holidays in Norway have been gaining popularity – amazing natural conditions, unforgettable journeys along the necklace of fjords, mountain walks, and swimming in lakes. The Sognefjord region is rightly considered the jewel of Norwegian fjords. And the famous Flåm Railway located nearby is an engineering masterpiece - 12 miles of ascents and descents through 20 tunnels at an 18-degree incline. From the train window you can see wild landscapes changing from harsh mountains to fertile gardens along the Sognefjord. National Geographic magazine is not without reason included the uniquely beautiful Norwegian fjords in the top ten most attractive natural tourist destinations in the world.
Despite the fact that Norway is in the north, in summer the thermometer rises to 25 degrees. And for autumn, you can plan a cruise "To the Land of the Midnight Sun" - to admire the extravaganza of the northern lights. By the way, a trip to the world of fjords and trolls is not that expensive, especially if you use the "bus-ferry" tour. Norway is a calm, elegiac holiday, a merging with nature, a feeling of the unique charm of the northern world.
Jose Torres, manager of the travel company Domiruth Travel Service:
- Our company has been participating in the Moscow travel exhibition for the third year already, and I will say right away – there is a return. This year, for the first time, the stand of the Ministry of Tourism of Peru appeared at the Moscow exhibition, and this indicates that we are interested in the Russian tourism market. Five years ago our company received 10-15 people per month, now in the same period – 20-25 people. Travel to Peru is quite far and not cheap, and of course, not as widespread as, say, tours to Turkey or Egypt. But it is exotic! Therefore, although the growth rates are small, there is a steady interest in our country. The main problem is little information in Russian. Fortunately, the Ministry of Tourism of Peru has begun work on translating information and advertising materials into Russian.
Basically, our offers are sightseeing and educational tourism. Of course, visiting the Inca capital Cusco, where many traces of their unique civilization have been preserved. A trip to the "lost city" of Machu Picchu is an exciting journey into a mysterious past. The ruins of this ancient city were accidentally discovered only in 1911. It is believed that Machu Picchu was built by the Inca Pachacutec in the middle of the 15th century to serve as a secret refuge for the family of the Supreme Inca and the high priests. This plan was completely successful; the Spanish conquistadors could not even extract the secret of Machu Picchu from the Indians by torture.
There are many completely amazing places in Peru. For example, the floating islands of the Uro tribe. This small people, according to legend, was once very powerful, but after the Inca invasion, not wanting to submit to the conquerors, went to the lake and settled on islands woven from reeds. Over many centuries, the Uros learned to lead a completely aquatic way of life; on the reed islands they build their houses, schools, and even churches. It was the Uro craftsmen who helped Thor Heyerdahl build the famous reed boat Ra.
Unforgettable impressions - a flight over the mysterious drawings of the Nazca Desert, a walk on Lake Titicaca, getting to know the origins of an ancient civilization, a folklore program, and delicacies of Peruvian cuisine. A pleasant nuance – we provide the services of a Russian-speaking guide.
This year is a debut for our company at the Kyiv tourism exhibition. The very first day of UITT-2005 showed that there is great interest in our country among Ukrainian tour operators and ordinary tourists. Throughout all days of the exhibition, future partners repeatedly approached us with specific proposals. Many were interested in issues of organizing air travel, planning the tour itself, and the possibility of visiting not only Peru but also neighboring countries. In Peru, unfortunately, we cannot offer a seaside holiday, so our partners often make combined tours, for example, Peru - Venezuela with a holiday on Margarita Island, Peru - Cuba, or Peru - Dominican Republic. Our Ukrainian partner is "Ispatur", and currently we are establishing ties with the "Caribbean Club".
I must note that Russian and Ukrainian tourists gravitate toward a rich cultural and educational program, they take great pleasure in exploring ancient monuments, and like to get acquainted with folk customs and traditions. Therefore, we build our tours precisely on the maximum of the new and unusual. You can be sure – in Peru you will see what you have never encountered anywhere before!