Maryna Nagaychuk, Director of the Austrian National Tourist Office Representative in Ukraine:
- The UITT International Travel Salon is the most significant and impressive event of the travel year. Our feedback about the exhibition is the best, so we expand our exposition every year: after all, Ukrainians' interest in Austria is growing. For example, this year we increased the area of our pavilion by a third. It is worth noting that 60% of Ukrainian tourists go to Austria in winter and 40% in summer. And world statistics show that the majority of tourists visit Austria specifically in summer. If winter Austria - recreation at famous ski resorts - has already firmly entered the consciousness of our compatriots, then summer Austria - recreation in the Alpine mountains, on the cleanest lakes and fast rivers - is only beginning to pave the way to the hearts of Ukrainian tourists.
Summer vacation is primarily the lands of Carinthia and Salzburg. A region of amazing lakes - that's what can be said about these places, and about Austria as a whole. The water warms up to 26 degrees Celsius, so recently more and more families come to us for vacation. And the purity of these natural waters is such that you can drink them!
Tours for treatment and rehabilitation are gaining increasing popularity. Combining a full-fledged vacation with the opportunity to improve one's health - that is what Austria offers tourists. One of the most famous health resorts is rightfully considered the Gastein Valley with its resorts Bad Gastein and Bad Hofgastein (federal state of Salzburg). Bad Gastein has 18 radon-containing springs and a unique health center - radon galleries. Those suffering from Bechterew's disease, rheumatism, lung diseases (asthma, bronchitis), arthrosis, chronic polyarthritis come here. In the resort village of Bad Hofgastein, the most modern Alpine water park Alpen Therme Gastein was recently opened, located on an area of 32,000 square meters! And Tyrol invites you to visit a super-modern thermal complex that can accommodate 1,500 visitors at the same time.
The Vienna Opera and famous art galleries, the names of Mozart and Strauss, Klimt and Schiele are forever associated with the concept of "Austria". 2006 has been declared the worldwide Year of Mozart. In Austria, a working group of representatives from Vienna, Salzburg and the Austrian National Tourist Office has developed an extensive cultural program of celebrations. So, when visiting Austria in 2005, get ready to come again in 2006!
José Perramón, official representative of the Generalitat of Catalonia for tourism in Eastern European countries:
- There is no need to introduce Catalonia to Ukrainians: for years now, an ever-increasing flow of tourists happily relaxes on our beaches, visits amazing monuments of history and culture, and enjoys the delicacies of Catalan cuisine. But about the cuisine, in connection with the new tourist season, I want to say a special word.
"Cuisine created man" - it is hard to disagree with these words of evolutionary scientist Faustino Cordón. And the compatriots of Salvador Dalí can prepare and present the entire landscape on a single plate at the highest level. Catalonia celebrates the 600th anniversary of its gastronomic culture with the Year of Food, Cuisine, and Gastronomy. The traditions of Catalan cuisine date back to the ancient Roman era, and were generously diversified by Arab, Provençal, and Jewish influences. The Mediterranean diet based on sea and mountain products with an abundance of vegetables and fruits is recognized as exceptionally healthy. From March 2005 to March 2006, on the streets and squares of Barcelona, citizens, tourists, adults and children will be able to have fun, enjoy, and lick their fingers, tasting dishes prepared by masters of culinary art.
Throughout the year, chefs from many cities will gather in Barcelona, and each month of the year will be dedicated to the cuisine of a specific territory and season. For example, in March the focus will be on the suckling pig from Osona and truffles, in July preference will be given to dishes from the Ebro lands, and October will celebrate the cuisine of Barceloneta. Foreign guests will demonstrate the peculiarities of their cooking. An extensive program of competitions will be held under the motto 'Create, learn, demonstrate!' And choosing a place for tasting to suit your taste and pocket in Barcelona is not a problem: in a city with a population of just over 2 million, there are about 10,000 quality dining establishments, among them more than 3,000 restaurants. The holidays of this year will also be especially celebrated - for example, on the night of Sant Joan on Montjuïc, more than a thousand bottles of national champagne wine 'Cava' will be opened simultaneously.
Experts have calculated that more than 30% of the money spent by a tourist goes to gastronomy. Therefore, tourist Catalonia pays great attention to its culinary potential and values it no less than Gaudí's architecture or Dalí's paintings. It is no coincidence that the famous Barcelona market La Boqueria is visited daily by more than 2,500 tourists - almost like a famous museum! So we welcome everyone. And, of course, Que aproveche! ('Bon appétit!')
Maria Makarova, marketing manager of the Swiss National Tourist Corporation:
- For Swiss tourism, this is the fourth year of participation in the UITT exhibition, and every year our booth is expanding: this year our exposition occupies an area of about 80 square meters, which presents the offers of thirty of our Swiss partners. We feel the great potential of the Ukrainian market. Over the past 5-6 years there has been a steady growth in the flow of Ukrainian tourists. On average, the Swiss consulate in Ukraine issues about 15-16 thousand visas per year. And according to statistical data, we have about 100 thousand overnight stays per year. In addition, the increase compared to the year before last was about 7-8%. So this year we plan to expand our events in Ukraine - conferences, seminars, information tours. Now interest is becoming more qualitative: Ukrainian tourists already know the regions of Switzerland, they have already been recommended some specific places to visit by their tour operators.
At the exhibition we present a new tourist product - the thematic route «Art and Architecture». Switzerland is famous for its museums - there are more than five hundred of them in the country. Literally every 30 kilometers there is some architectural monument or museum worth seeing. A colorful and complete catalog of such a trip has been published, and we hope that this route will attract the attention of Ukrainian tourists: after all, we traditionally like to get acquainted with monuments of history and culture. It is also important that visiting most museums in Switzerland is free. In small museums or private galleries you can see unique paintings by Picasso or Klee, admire antiques or discover the creations of modern famous architects.
Currently, there is an increase in tourists in the summer period: the mild climate, the combination of mountain air and the purest lakes gives an amazing boost of energy. The natural conditions are completely unique. For example, can you imagine that even kiwis ripen in the canton of Valais - there are so many sunny days! Ukrainian tourists choose Switzerland by the same criteria as European ones: excellent recreation conditions, beautiful nature, enjoyment of shopping and cuisine. In this small country, the cuisines of different peoples are surprisingly combined: in Switzerland you can taste French fondue, Italian risotto, German sausages, and fried fish from Lake Geneva. And the famous wines! Connoisseurs consider them among the best in the world. Unfortunately, they are little known outside the country. The Swiss themselves joke about this: «We love our wines so much that we do not export them!» So those who want to verify the fairness of this statement are welcome to Switzerland!