The lack of cultural and local events, expensive tickets, and comfortable infrastructure most often prove to be barriers to travel to the Far East regions, said Olga Surikova, director of tax and legal consulting at KMPG in Russia and the CIS and an expert in the development of the Far East and the Arctic.

As Surikova told the Eastern Economic Forum - 2021, the tourist flow to the Far East and part of the Arctic was only 11.9% in 2019. And while in the country as a whole, the tourist flow for the pandemic decreased by 35-40%, in the Far East, the drop was 76%.

According to her, together with the Russian Ministry for the Development of the Far East, the company conducted a study, which included a survey of travelers.

"The study yielded interesting results - we realized that the region has a lack of eventfulness. When we polled travelers, many said that they were attracted by the unique nature - this is the most important factor. However, it is the identity of the location, where one could see and be impressed by unusual knowledge, culture, that is of interest. There is a demand for stable events at both regional and international level", - says Surikova.

In addition, travelers lack cruise tourism, as well as confused by the high cost and distance of the territories and the lack of clear and comfortable infrastructure.

"Over the past five years, there has been quite serious interest from travelers to this territory (the Far East - ed.). It is becoming fashionable, trendy, all the social networks are full of it. <...> But despite the fact that it is one of the trendy destinations, it has not become a mass phenomenon. The factors why it has not become mass, as we understand it, are high prices and distance. You have to be wealthy enough to afford a trip to the Far East. This is a factor that limits the residents of our country," the expert noted.

She added that, so far, the Far East territory appears to travelers as "terra incognita," which has yet to be discovered, and the authorities need to improve on many fronts.

The Eastern Economic Forum takes place in Vladivostok from the second to the fourth of September. The main theme of this year's event is "New Opportunities for the Far East in a Changing World". The forum is organised by Roscongress.

Made in Russia // Made in Russia

Author: Karina Kamalova