Tourism in Russia

- According to Transaero President Aleksandr Pleshakov at the Tourism Business conference, the tourism industry in Russia is expecting a growth of 10%-12% this year.

- The recent decrease in the cost of air travel would provide more opportunities for even more growth in the tourism market.

- Russia has been experiencing an increase in visitor arrivals especially from countries like Greece, Australia, Switzerland, Austria, Turkey, Great Britain, France which visit Russia either for tourism or for business purposes.

Changes brought about by growth of tourism

Russia has a large number of historical landmarks which make it a very important cultural destination. With cultural tourism taking place in Russia, this has helped in the preservation and conservation of these cultural sites,as measures have been put in place to protect these sites from the environmental impact of wear and tear.

Tourism has also brought a change in the infrastructure in Russia. Russia will be hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and the country's infrastructure would have to be improved and upgraded in order for Russia to be able to host the large number of people coming in to participate in the games. Airports, railways and port facilities would be upgraded in order to support the tourism industry and locals will also benefit from the change in the country's infrastructure. Tourism has brought about events such as the Winter Olympics and this helps to promote Russia's tourism industry internationally and domestically.

Tourism has also brought about development in Russia's airline and hotel industry. In 2007, Russia's first budget airline, Sky Express started its operations in the low-cost sector. In the hotel industry, the Russian Company, Renova Stroy Group may build 50 three-star hotels in Russia over the next ten years. These developments in Russia's airline and hotel industry would mean that more locals would be able to secure jobs in the future and this, decreasing its unemployment rate.

Though tourism has brought about many positive changes to Russia economically and environmentally, it has been a culprit in commodifying cultures and traditions in Russia. Using the Russkaya derevnya ("Russian Village") Hotel as an example, we can see how commodification of Russia's culture has led to a simplification of culture. As the replica of the Russian Village is not really authentic and was built with the needs and wants of the tourists in mind, this may leave foreigners with a different perspective of Russian culture than what it originally was due to inaccurate representation of its culture. However, commodification of culture can also have its positive impacts. By catering to the needs and wants of tourists, this would increase the number of people wanting to stay in the hotel and thus leading to an increase in revenue earned. The hotel may also raise awareness about Russia's culture to the foreigners who stay in the hotel and thus, motivate them to find out more about its culture and then lead to a better understanding of Russia's culture.

In conclusion, it is true that tourism has been a culprit in commodifying cultures and traditions, however this can lead to both positive and negative impacts and it may be more beneficial economically.

http://www.xeniosworld.com/?p=3414

http://www.waytorussia.net/Features/Stats/

Disneytization in Russia

The 4 dimensions of Disneytization are theming, hybrid consumption, merchandising and performative labor. Although globalization has not had a huge impact on Russia,we can still see how globalization has "disneyified" Russia.

Theming

More and more areas in Russia are becoming themed and there are now themed resturants, themed bars and even themed hotels. There are many sources of themes that restaurants, bars and hotels can use like place, time, sport, music, cinema, fashion, commodities, architecture, natural world, literature and morality or philosophy. Very often, more than one of these sources are used in theming. In the case of the Russkaya derevnya ("Russian Village") Hotel which is a replica of a Russian village with two storey "izba" (log cabin) style buildings and a hotel complex which also has a Russian style "banya" (sauna) and a "traktir" (tavern), it contains elements like place (Russia), time (period in the past) and architecture (log cabins in the villages).

Hybrid Consumption

The definition of hybrid consumption would be a "general trend whereby the forms of consumption associated with different institutional spheres become interlocked with each other and increasingly difficult to distinguish." In the past, cinemas in Russia were buildings on their own and there was a clear separation between cinemas and shopping malls. However, due to globalization, cinemas in Russia are now built inside shopping malls . This is a good opportunity for the organization to profit from getting maximum buying potential as this would cater to more people and allowing them all to congregate in one location. Another example of hybrid consumption in Russia would be the Moscow Conservatory. Not only is it an educational institution but its facilities are also used for music performances.

Merchandising

A common example of merchandising in Russia would be the Russian doll which is sold as souvenirs to people around the world. It is unique to Russia as its history can be traced back to Russia where a folk crafts painter carved the first Russian doll in 1890.

Performative labor

The definition of performative labor would be "the growing tendency for frontline service work to be viewed as a performance, especially one in which the deliberate display of a certain mood is seen as part of the labour involved in service work." An example of this would be the Hotel Astoria in St. Petersburg. In this case, frontline service staff would have to provide the highest quality of service and make a conscious effort to display a certain mood that would delight their customers.

References:

http://www.canyons.edu/Faculty/haugent/Disneyization%20of%20Society%20Article.pdf

http://books.google.com/books?id=LoHVOCFJprgC&pg=PA103&lpg=PA103&dq=performative+labour&source=bl&ots=LCbewppSSO&sig=p2zJjUd0CwVZCm3Wida41KZyIHE&hl=en&ei=WJYATc35KYLxrQfi7ZWRDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=russia&f=true

http://www.thehotelastoria.com/

What is Russia known for?

1. Russian Dolls

The Russian nesting doll, also called the matryoshka doll, or babushka doll is a set of wooden dolls of decreasing sizes.

2. Russian Roulette

The Russian roulette is a dangerous and risky game of chance where participants place a single round in a revolver, spin the cylinder, place the muzzle against their head and pull the trigger.

3. Russian Ballet

Russian ballet is famous all over the world and its orignal purpose was to entertain the royal court.

4. Vodka

Vodka is one of the world's most famous liquors and standard Russian Vodka is usually 40% alcohol by volume.

5. Ushanka

The Ushanka is a Russian fur cap with ear flaps that protect the ears, jaw and lower chin from the cold during the winter season.

Types of leisure programmes

Events & Festivals

(Listed below are some of the events & festivals celebrated in Russia)

- Russian Winter Festival: This takes place in Moscow, with special events and activities like rides in troikas (sleighs drawn by three horses)

- Russian Orthodox Christmas: Celebrated on the 7th of Janaury and Russians would usually host dinners for their friends and families.

- Musical Spring in St. Petersburg: An international classical music festival.

- Pashka (Easter): This is the main holiday of the Russian Orthodox Church and is the end of their 40 days of fasting. Russians would then attend attend midnight church services and feast with special cakes to celebrate.

- White Nights Festival: An annual international arts festival during the season of the midnight sun and includes a series of performaces by Russian dancers, singers, musicians and actors

- St. Petersburg Beer Festival: This festival begins with a parade down Nevsky Prospect and ends with a firework display, with a lot of drinking.

- Moscow International Film Festival: New and classic films are shown in theatres all over Moscow for this festival

Sports

Russians are famous for their sporting ability and they do very well in international sporting events like the Olympics. Just like the rest of the world, football is very popular in Russia, and goalkeeper Lev Yashin is a part of the country's proud tradition for helping Russia to get the gold medal in the 1956 Olympics. Ice Hockey was introduced during the Soviet Era and the success of the national team was attributed to the Soviet player-development system and coach Anatoly Tarasov's leadership. Though Russians excel in sports, on the amateur level, many average Russian citizens are unable to participate in such sporting activities due to a lack of facilities and equipment, but jogging, football and fishing are popular pastimes among these citizens.

Performance Arts

Russians take performing arts very seriously and even small dance companies and music schools demand perfection from the performers, thus giving little opportunities to amateur performers. Performances generally start at 7pm in Russia and both locals and foreigners visit these theatres regularly. Though many major theatres in Moscow have closed down, the Bolshoi theatre remains as Moscow's top dance theatre and it sends regular troupes on vacation in the summer to host visiting companies. Classical music is performed at various concert halls and museums like the Chaliapin House Museum, International House of Music, Moscow Conservatory and the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. Russian Opera is not as famous internationally as its ballet but it is popular among the locals and opera tickets at the Bolshoi Theatre cost a lot less than ballet tickets. English-language theatre troupes sometimes visit Moscow in order to perform Russian classics and they stage a few performances in English at various theatres in Russia like the Maly Theatre or the Bolshoi Theatre.

References:

http://www.worldtravelguide.net/russia/events

http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-russia-leisure-entertainment

http://books.google.com/books?id=yTAec0qvNkoC&pg=PA11&dq=subject:%22Travel%22+russia&hl=en&ei=uXcATYyKIsHrrQe_suyQDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-thumbnail&resnum=8&ved=0CEEQ6wEwBzgY#v=onepage&q=subject%3A%22Travel%22%20russia&f=true

Education in Russia

Russian Schools places emphasis on reading and mathematics which helped it to maintain its high literacy rate of 98%. Most Russians go on to university and men are allowed to delay or even avoid national service by doing so. Although Russian teachers and professors are respected by their international peers, their government paid salaries are one of the lowest in the country.

Education in Russia is split up into compulsory basic education which lasts 9 years and higher education. Graduates of the basic general education can then continue their education at a senior high school to receive secondary general education or enter an initial vocational school or non-university level higher education institutions. Higher Education is provided by public or non-public accredited higher education institutions. There are three levels of higher education: 1. Incomplete higher education (at least 2 years), 2. Basic Higher education (4 years) leading to a Bakalavr's degree which is equivalent to a Bachelor's degree, 3. Postgraduate Higher Education leading to a Magistr's degree which is equivalent to a Master's degree.

Currently in Russia, there are 609 public higher education institutions and 206 accredited Non-State accredited higher education institutions. The ministry of education only finances 315 public higher education institutions while the rest are financed by other ministries or local authorities. There are about 3000 non-university level educational institutions.

References:

http://www.spainexchange.com/guide/RU-education.htm

http://www.studyrussian.com/MGU/russian-education-system.html

http://books.google.com/books?id=98KCfjd6E7YC&pg=PA72&dq=russia+culture+travel&hl=en&ei=W4z_TPjXBYHjrAfbsISFCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CFUQ6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q&f=false

Russia's Traditions

Holiday Traditions

New Year Traditions: The New Year is the biggest celebration for Russians, and lavish meals would be prepared as they believe that the way you celebrate the New Year determines how your year will be like. Thus, on New Year’s eve, Russians prepare huge meals with dishes that include duck or goose, stuffed carp, and a jellied meat called “holodets”. Small pies and pastries filled with cabbage, apple or meat are also prepared and on New Year’s Day itself, soup is prepared and served together with the “holodets” and the leftover pastries and pies.

Easter: During Easter, Russians paint hard-boiled eggs usually using the colour red as it signifies new life. They then exchange kind wishes and these painted eggs for the Easter celebration.

Christmas: Christmas on the Orthodox calendar is celebrated on the 7^th of January and not on the 25^th of December. Just like the other holidays and celebrations, Russians would celebrate Christmas by preparing a huge meal.

Family Traditions

Baby’s birth: When a baby is born, the father would plant a tree so that the baby would grow up strong and healthy like the tree.

Birthdays: A birthday celebration is usually celebrated with a lavish dinner and it is a custom for the birthday person to provide this dinner. This celebration can sometimes last for more than a day.

Wedding: In Russia, church weddings are not considered official and couples who want to get married have to exchange their vows at a Russian marriage civil ceremony where they would receive bread and salt to symbolize health, prosperity and long life. During the Wedding, a relative or close friend would make a wedding toast to the couple and it is a Russian tradition for everyone to throw their champagne glasses onto the floor. It is considered as good luck if the glasses break when they hit the ground.

Other Traditions

Travel: Before departing for a trip, Russians would sit in silence for a few minutes to pray for good luck and fortune on their trip.

Spring: At the beginning of Spring, Russians celebrate Maslenita (Pancake week), because a pancake is round like the sun and symbolizes the new life that comes with spring.

References:

http://www.worldweddingtraditions.com/locations/east_europe_traditions/russian_traditions.html

http://www.advantour.com/russia/traditions.htm

http://www.russian-language-for-lovers.com/russian-traditions.html

Russia's Culture

People

Although Ethnic Russians make up the majority

of the population, there are other ethnic groups such as the Tatars, Ukrainians, Bashkirs, Chuvash, Chechen and the Armenians. The Russian Orthodox Church has been recognized as the leading faith since 1997, and has a huge impact on its Russia’s culture. Other religions include Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism.

Indigenous People

Tatars: Tatars are descendents from

the Mongol-Tatar armies of Chinggis Genghis Khan and hi successors and from earlier Hunnic, Turkic and Finno-Ugric settlers. They lived in Siberia before the Russians arrived. Most of the Tatars today are muslim and about 2 million of them make up nearly half of the Tartarstan Republic’s population. About a million other Tatars live

in other parts of Russia and the Commonwealth of independent states.

Chuvash & Bashkirs: The Chuvash are the descendents of the pre-Mongol settlers in Russia. They are Orthodox Christians and are form a majority of the Chuvash Republic, which is west of the Tartarstan Republic.

The Bashkirs are Muslim and have Turkish roots. About half of them live in the Republic of Bashkortostan; however they are outnumbered by the Russians and Tatars who live there.

Finno-Ugric People: Many groups of Finno-Ugric People live in central and northern European Russia and these groups can include the Orthodox or Muslim Mordvins, the Udmurts or Votyaks, snd the Mari.

Lifestyle

Though Russians may appear to be unfriendly, uncooperative and guarded when they meet new people, they are very generous and hospitable once you get to know them better. An invitation to their home for dinner would consist of many different courses of food. Russian hospitality comes before practicality and an invitation to a Russian home may be repeated several times even until the family cannot afford the expense. This happens often especially outside the big cites, as locals are determined to share everything they have though they may not have much.

Russians consider themselves a well-educated nation, and the people there read a lot as books are not very expensive in Russia. Most people can afford to buy 5-10 book a month. Every city in Russia has at least one theatre, and since tickets are affordable, live performances at the theatres are very popular. The theatre culture was developed when tickets were sold through schools and businesses during the Soviet times. Cities were divided into neighborhoods and there was a theatre agent in every neighborhood to distribute tickets and organize visits to the theatre.

Healthcare and education are free in Russia, and it is still possible to study in university for free just be passing the entrance exams. However, universities are now decreasing the number of students who study for free due to poor state financing.

Russians love their country and though they may criticize their Country, they are proud of their country's history and cultural roots.

Language

Although there are 160 ethnic groups that speak around 100 languages in Russia, Russian is the only official language while there are 27 other languages which are also considered as official languages in certain regions in Russia. Some examples of these other languages would be Tartar, Abaza, Khakas and Bashkir. As a result of tsarist and Soviet campaigns to suppress minority languages, many of the non-Russians ethnic groups speak Russian as their native or only language.

References:

http://books.google.com/books?id=98KCfjd6E7YC&pg=PA72&dq=russia+culture+travel&hl=en&ei=W4z_TPjXBYHjrAfbsISFCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CFUQ6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=tradition&f=false

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rs.html

http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Russia.html

http://www.justgorussia.co.uk/en/russian_people.html