More than two hundred participants from 27 countries of the world made their tourist offers at UITT-2003. The richness of the program, the active pace of presentations, the general festive spirit - all this was present from the very first day of the exhibition. The offers of travel companies could be seen and appreciated not only by professionals, but also by ordinary citizens interested in tourism. And, as practice has shown, there were quite a few of them. The flow of visitors did not decrease practically during all four days of the exhibition. This was facilitated by various events offered by the organizers: presentation of children's recreation programs and joint Turkish programs of the company "Gamalia", a seminar of the World Tourism Organization, presentation of summer recreation programs in Ukraine, Tunisia and Croatia of the company "SAM", a round table "Legal aspects of the development of rural tourism in Ukraine", presentation of hotels of the World of Wonders system, etc.
The UITT-2003 was attended by travel companies, health resorts and sanatorium complexes, administrations of regions and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, insurance companies, embassies, hotels, airlines, etc. The corresponding media were also represented: the magazines Wellcome to Ukraine, «Міжнародний туризм», «Вокруг света», the Ukrainian travel newspaper «Весь мир в кармане» (Odessa) and others. And, of course, the attention of visitors was attracted by the stand of our publication: the fresh issue of the weekly «Заграница» sold like hot cakes, and it was simply impossible to break through to the stand of the newspaper's Club with guidebooks!
UITT-2003 is also an amazingly colorful spectacle. Already near the entrance to the International Exhibition Center, visitors were amused by a huge red fire truck with the inscription "There are hot deals!". And pretty, smiling "firewomen" handed out bright booklets to everyone. Inside the pavilion itself, the eyes simply widened. Some expositions immediately attracted attention with their style and originality. As always, the magnificent structures of our tourist "flagships" impressed the imagination: "Gamalia", "SAM", "Yana", M.I.B.S., and others.
The spring travel exhibition always prepares the ground for summer recreation. Based on which stands attracted the greatest number of visitors, it is difficult to make an unambiguous forecast for the summer season, but some trends are still visible. As before, our summer recreation is unthinkable without the sea. Perhaps that is why the entire powerful "peninsula" of Crimean stands was constantly popular. Over fifty Crimean travel agencies, hotels, sanatoriums, headed by the Ministry of Tourism of Crimea, actively advertised their region.
The Carpathians were not much inferior to their southern competitor. Thirty various structures, including the Association for Tourism Development, the Tourism Council of the Carpathian Region, "Truskavets-resort" and other no less well-known tour operators, hotels and insurance companies, defended the positions of western Ukraine.
As for foreign tourism, visitors traditionally showed interest in recreation in Bulgaria, which, it seems, is in direct competition with inexpensive Crimean recreation. Recreation in Montenegro and Croatia is also moving forward: amazing sea, excellent service, acceptable prices. This year, the Turkish note stood out clearly in the general chorus of tourist offers: perhaps for the first time so many Turkish travel companies and representative offices came to Ukraine. And their pricing policy, it seems, suits our travel agents, judging by how actively negotiations were conducted and contracts were concluded at the Turkish stands.
And what did professionals say about the exhibition? Employees of the travel company "Yana" shared their impressions and forecasts for the new season with us. In their general opinion, the exhibition was a success. As for tourist priorities, fears regarding the Egyptian direction due to the international situation are gradually subsiding. In any case, for the May holidays, tours to Egypt - Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh - are selling well. According to Olga Evstratova, manager for Egypt, prices have dropped somewhat. So, our tourist, having assessed the price and service advantages, again chooses the land of the pyramids.
Also still relevant is recreation in Turkey. The economically attractive offers of Turkish firms are due, first of all, to a certain outflow of Western tourists. The mentality of the Western man in the street is such that in the event of any tension in the world, they prefer to sit at home. First of all, this concerns British, American and German tourists. And today the eyes of Turkish travel companies are turned towards Russia and Ukraine. And, apparently, thanks to our tourists, the beaches of Marmaris and Antalya will not be empty this summer. But, as Inga Mikhailova noted, along with this, interest in European countries is also growing. Those who plan to spend a little more choose France, Italy, Spain. Of the inexpensive and not too common recreation, Croatia and Montenegro are in demand.
Professionals are confident: the exhibition was successful. And this means that we, ordinary gentlemen vacationers, can expect many new and interesting offers this summer.