In tourist capitals, the number of tourists is not decreasing. Travel companies are losing money due to the independence of tourists

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For reference. In 2015, 17.1 million tourists visited Moscow, most of them Russian citizens. . . . . .

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. . . . . The importance of developing the tourism industry was stressed by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.

"The Moscow authorities have approached the indicator, according to which the share of the gross product from tourism will be approximately 500 billion rubles. This is a significant figure"- said Sergei Sobyanin.

According to the mayor, the number of tourists in Moscow is increasing year by year. “The number of tourists in the capital is increasing year by year and this is a good indicator. . . . . .

According to the data he has seen, Moscow is the most popular tourist destination in Russia. . . . . . The first positions are occupied by Paris, New York and London.

The number of tourists who would like to return to Moscow again exceeds 92 percent of the total. . . . . .

. . . . . Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin instructed to conduct an analysis of the city's tourism industry in the coming months.

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05.09.2016, 14:30

Every sixth inhabitant of the Earth is a tourist. The cumulative contribution of tourism to world GDP reaches $7.2 trillion. The industry directly or indirectly supports one in 11 jobs in the world. Since last year, tourism has been under the influence of several global factors: strong fluctuations in world currencies, falling oil prices and the deteriorating security situation in many regions of the world. Despite this, the industry is not only coping with difficulties, but also continues to grow. Tourist flows temporarily switched from risky directions to safer ones. And weakening currencies and falling commodity prices have made a number of countries, and in particular Russia, more attractive for inbound tourism.

Compiled by: Olga Shkurenko

Artist: Vera Zhegalina

Tourist flow towards Asia

The number of tourists is growing, which demonstrates the ability of the industry to adapt to economic instability and the difficult situation with international security.

In 2015, the number of tourists in the world reached 1.186 billion, an increase of half a billion in a year. After the crisis of 2008-2009, the tourist flow has been steadily growing, exceeding 4% per year. According to the forecast of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in the coming years, the number of tourists will continue to increase by an average of 3.3% per year and will reach 1.8 billion by 2030. The flow of tourists to developing countries will grow twice as fast as to developed countries - by 4.4% against 2.2%. As a result, by 2030 Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa will provide 57% of all international arrivals, while now more than half of the tourists flock to Europe. The development of new directions is also facilitated by the fact that air Transport confidently takes the place of the main means of transportation for tourists. Thus, in 2015, the total volume of passenger air transportation in the world increased by 6.5%.

Russia stayed in the top ten popular destinations, despite the fact that Moscow and St. Petersburg were at the top of the ranking of the most inhospitable cities in the world, compiled by readers of Travel + Leisure magazine

France, the USA, Spain and China at the end of last year retained their leadership in the top 10 countries popular with tourists. They also, in a different order, top the top 10 in terms of tourism revenue (see Part 2). Russia also stayed in the top ten popular destinations, despite the fact that Moscow and St. Petersburg were at the top of the rating of the most inhospitable cities in the world, compiled by readers of Travel + Leisure magazine.

According to UNWTO experts, in 2015 the tourism industry was influenced by several adverse factors- from strong exchange rate fluctuations to the migration crisis and growth terrorist threat. However, tourism traditionally quickly adapts to most shock situations. As noted in a study by IPK International, in recent years, only the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in the United States and the global economic crisis of 2008-2009 have caused serious damage on a global scale. In both cases, the industry took one to two years to recover. Usually the time is shorter. The impact of various crises on tourism has also been studied by analysts from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). They came to the conclusion that political instability has the most negative effect, which can reduce the attractiveness of an entire country or region for an indefinite period. After terrorist attacks, which a priori cause a sharper reaction, the tourist flow is restored much faster. No matter what happens, most tourists still go on trips, only switching to safer, in their opinion, destinations. For example, recently many instead of popular summer resorts Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey chose the calmer coasts of Spain, Portugal and Croatia.

Tourist as a source of income

Tourism revenues have grown 12 times since 1980. Weak euro and ruble increased the attractiveness of the eurozone countries and Russia in the eyes of foreign tourists as well.

According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in 2015, tourism revenues in the world grew in real terms by 4.4%, to $1.26 trillion. The industry's total contribution to global GDP reaches $7.2 trillion. It directly or indirectly supports one in 11 jobs in the world. Last year, 2.5 million jobs were created that directly serve tourists - in travel agencies, the hotel business, air transportation, and restaurants. The share of tourism in the global export of goods and services has grown to 7%, the industry is second only to the fuel and chemical industries and overtakes food production and the automotive industry. According to the forecasts of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), in 2016 the sector will outpace the global economy in growth.

In 2015, China and the United States were leaders in terms of inbound tourism revenue and, at the same time, in terms of the amount that tourists from different countries left abroad. According to Global Blue, one of the largest Tax Free operators, the global duty-free market is dominated by Chinese tourists. The country ranks first in tourist spending on shopping, responsible for a third of all global sales. In 2015, the increase in Chinese spending on overseas shopping averaged 58% year-on-year, and in the first half of the year in the euro area it reached 75%. A weak euro against a strong dollar is attracting more and more Americans to Europe. In the third quarter of last year, in terms of spending in the eurozone, they almost caught up with the Chinese. American tourists occupy the fourth place in the list of leaders in purchases abroad, their share is up to 5% of all sales.

Due to the difficult economic situation, some Russian tourists “stayed at home” last year, and the Russian Federation dropped from second to third place in the top 5 global buyers. Meanwhile, the country can turn the weakness of the ruble to its advantage by attracting tourists from abroad. One of the incentive measures may be the introduction of the Tax Free system, which is being discussed by the government. As the media reported in the spring, a thematic pilot project could be launched before the end of the year in Moscow's GUM, TSUM, Petrovsky Passage and several other luxury retailers. Minimum amount purchases from which foreigners will be able to receive VAT - 10 thousand rubles. ($155).

The fact that the bet on the weak ruble is correct is also evidenced by the fact that Moscow is included in the rating of the cheapest cities for foreign tourists, compiled by the online resource TripAdvisor. Three nights for two, including accommodation, two meals a day, entertainment and taxis, will cost $656. Thus, Moscow became the most budgetary among European capitals. In terms of prices, it is almost equal to Bangkok.

Discovery of Russia

A Russian tourist can hardly find an alternative to the budget ones in Turkey and Egypt. Part of the tourist flow turned to Russia.

The total number of foreign tourist trips of Russians in 2015 decreased by 20%, to 34.39 million. In the first quarter of 2016, it decreased by 22% year-on-year, to 1.48 million. quarter of 2015 it reached 40.3%. As noted in the Russian Union of the Tourist Industry, of the 50 countries that received the most Russians, only 15 showed an increase in tourist flow. According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), in the summer season of 2016, sales of organized tours decreased by 25-30%. The tourism market continues to be affected by the depreciation of the ruble and the decline in the purchasing power of the population. According to the head of ATOR Maya Lomidze, now Russian tourists are not ready to pay more than $600-700 for a tour abroad. Also, spending at the resorts themselves is reduced, the most economical accommodation options are selected, and the depth of sales is falling.

In November 2015, the closure of Egypt and Turkey dealt a new blow to outbound tourism. According to Rosstat, in the first nine months of 2015, these two countries accounted for about 40% of all tourist trips of Russians. The removal of restrictions on the sale of tours to Turkey in July caused a stir on Yandex (the number of requests - plus 1346% by June), but the restoration of the tourist flow this season is no longer worth waiting for. Partially, tourists switched to other destinations. Tour operators have recorded an increase in interest in Tunisia, Thailand, Bulgaria and even Dominican Republic. More attention began to be paid to Abkhazia and other former Soviet republics.

Some tourists began to explore Russia. According to Maya Lomidze, Sochi and Krasnodar region this year were almost maximally loaded, and the Crimea still has a small potential. Increased demand is recorded not only for Black Sea resorts. In the first half of the year, the level of occupancy of hotels in Moscow was 68%, and the profitability per room increased to 5.2 thousand rubles - record figures for the past five years. More attention to the capital and other major Russian cities began to pay foreign tourists. The inbound tourist flow in the first quarter decreased, but slightly - by 1%, to 252.6 thousand people. At the same time, Asian markets showed growth, a number of European countries, but most of all Iran (plus 100%) and India (plus 56%).

The authorities also took care of the development of domestic tourism. The Ministry of Culture has prepared a resolution on subsidizing tour operators at the rate of 1-2 thousand rubles. per person in case of sending tourists to Russian resorts. The program will have to find 6.75 billion rubles in the budget. Tourists themselves will also have to contribute to supporting the industry - President Putin supported the idea resort fee. The Ministry of Finance assured that it would be acceptable for vacationers - 50-100 rubles.

barrier-free world

tourist attraction countries not least depends on the ease of entry.

The visa policy of states strongly influences the development of tourism. If the costs of visa formalities (cash, time, etc.) in the country are too high, the tourist is likely to refuse to visit it altogether. Many countries are trying to remove barriers to tourists - of course, without compromising the security of their borders. A 2012 study found that facilitating the G20 visa process could generate $206 billion in additional tourism revenue and 5.1 million jobs in three years. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for 2015, almost two-thirds of the world's inhabitants (61%) still need to obtain a traditional visa to travel abroad. Almost 18% of the world's population is not affected by visa requirements. Visa procedures in the world are noticeably simplified, especially in recent years. Between 2010 and 2015, 54 states significantly reduced requirements for citizens of more than 30 countries, making it possible to obtain a visa on arrival, an e-visa, or enter without a visa at all.

51% of all visa regimes in 2015 were mutual, that is, citizens of each pair of states were subject to the same requirements for entry, including in 17% of cases mutual visa waivers were provided. The greatest mutual openness is observed in developed economies. In particular, in Europe, border control between 26 countries of the Schengen zone has been completely abolished. However, if the principle of reciprocity is not taken into account, emerging economies remain more open from a visa point of view. Regionally, the leaders are Southeast Asia, East Africa, caribbean and Oceania. The findings of the UN are confirmed by the Passport Index study, which shows that a number of countries in these regions do not require traditional visas at all, limited to stamps upon arrival at the airport. On the other hand, among the countries whose citizens find it easiest to travel around the world, developed economies are leading, led by Germany. According to the Visa Restrictions Index 2016, 177 countries and territories are open to holders of German passports for visa-free entry. In total, in 2015 there were 48 tourist markets of "increased mobility" - citizens of these states could visit at least half of the countries of the world without visas.

One of the most recent examples of visa barriers being lowered is the establishment of the African Union passport in 2016, which aims to “realize the dream of visa-free travel citizens of African countries on their continent by 2020”. Russia passed a law in July allowing foreign fans to visit the 2018 FIFA World Cup without visas. According to ATOR, this will attract more than 1 million people to the Russian Federation, who will bring the country at least $1 billion in income.

Tourist Choice Award

Spain leads in the number of ecologically clean beaches. 587 of them are marked " blue flags» - symbols of quality, awarded annually by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). The top five also includes Greece (430), Turkey (421 beaches), France (399) and Portugal (315). In the photo: Palma de Mallorca beach (Spain)

Singapore Changi Airport (pictured) in 2015 ranked first in the ranking best airports for sleep published by The Guide to Sleeping in Airports. It offers passengers free sun loungers and massage chairs, dimly lit areas and a mini-hotel. The worst was the Reykjavik airport, in which it is generally forbidden to sleep

Irish Galway ranked first in the ranking of the friendliest cities, compiled by polls of readers of Travel + Leisure magazine. The voters noted the hospitality and sense of humor of the locals. In addition, the city is famous for its love of holidays - on the pedestrian streets and in pubs you can often meet performers of traditional Irish music.

First place in the ranking top airlines of the world, compiled by Skytrax according to surveys of air travelers, in 2016 was occupied by Dubai's Emirates. The airline began flying in 1985 with only two aircraft, and currently has a fleet of 230 aircraft flies to 140 destinations in 80 countries

Philippine Palawan has topped the Travel+Leisure Reader's Choice Islands list. He is famous for his blue lagoons, jungle, mountains. One of the main attractions is the 8-kilometre underground river inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List

Hotel Nihiwatu on the Indonesian island of Sumba tops Travel+Leisure's Top 100 Best Hotels. The former surfers' shelter has been turned into a luxury complex, whose villas are stylized as the houses of the islanders. It offers a spa, restaurants and horseback riding. During the high season, prices can reach $12,000 per night

According to Art Magazine, the Louvre in Paris (pictured) is the most popular museum in the world. In 2015, it was visited by 8.6 million people. A year earlier, attendance was even higher - 9.2 million. Also in the top 3 leaders in attendance in 2015 were the British Museum in London (6.8 million) and the New York Metropolitan (6.5 million).

Machu Picchu in Peru has been voted the 2016 Travelers' Choice World's Best Attraction by TripAdvisor. The "Lost City of the Incas" is located in the heart of the Andes at an altitude of 2.4 thousand meters. Due to the large influx of tourists in 2011, the number of visitors was limited to 2,500 people per day, of which no more than 400 can climb Mount Huayna Picchu, which is part of the archaeological complex

The 2016 Travelers' Choice 2016 Best Amusement Park in the World was Universal's Florida Islands Of Adventure. It includes eight themed islands, allowing you to travel to different worlds - from Jurassic Park to Harry Potter's school of magic. 8.79 million people visited the park in 2015

The rating of the best tourist destinations in Russia from TripAdvisor in 2016 was headed by St. Petersburg. The second largest city in Russia, located on the banks of the Neva River, attracts tourists with monuments of art and culture, nightclubs, restaurants with excellent cuisine. In 2015, it was visited by 6.5 million tourists, of which 2.5 million were foreigners.

Russian regions are increasingly interested in tourists, and the infrastructure of large tourist cities and popular places can already compete with Western holiday options. Domestic tourism in Russia will continue to grow, believes Dmitry Davydenko, Chairman of the All-Russian Association of Tourists, Deputy Chairman Public Council under Rostourism.

TRN: Dmitry, do you agree with the opinion about the allegedly observed decline in the domestic economy?

Dmitry Davydenko (D.D..): There is no recession! There is growth and redistribution of flows. Flows are redistributed from tour operators to other tour operators, from tour operators to independent travelers, from to others . If, for example, the Anapa airport shows a decrease in flow, then this does not mean at all that the flow to Anapa has fallen, but, moreover, that the total has fallen. To assess the fall or rise in flow, other data must also be taken, in addition to the airport data. We need data from Russian Railways, automobile, accommodation facilities. Growth of some companies Krasnodar Territory amounted to more than 50 percent in 2017.

Assumptions about a decrease in the number of domestic tourists come from travel companies not from the first league. And this is understandable. The fact is that large international tour operators have entered the domestic tourism market, which have already begun to bite off, and will soon eat all the tasty parts of the common pie and leave small operators without tourists.

These large operators were engaged in outbound tourism, and now they are betting on domestic tourism. And in the coming and next year, small companies will sag even more in domestic tourism due to the activity of large tour operators with a huge developed system distribution. They have their own planes, flights, and they put them on regional destinations. Such companies have a lot of partners, more financial opportunities, including for promotion. They can give a discount due to blocks of places in hotels ... That is, they can make the product cheaper, which means more competitive.

TRN: What are the statistics on how actively domestic tourism is developing?

D.D.: Here are some numbers. According to Rosstat, in 2014, 38.4 million Russians used hotel services in Russia, in 2015 - 49.2 million, in 2016 - 54.28 million, and in 2017, according to preliminary data, more than 56.8 million million. These are figures, we emphasize once again, for the inhabitants of Russia.

There was also an increase in visits to our country and foreign tourists. In 2014, 4.6 million tourists from abroad were accommodated in Russian hotels, in 2015 - 5.6 million, in 2016 - 6.1 million, the preliminary figure in 2017 is currently 6.4 million. foreign tourists.

TRN: How actively is organized domestic tourism developing now?

D.D.: Consumers choose different paths. travel companies provide a fairly cheap flight that regular flights cannot provide. Therefore, a tour with a charter flight is cheaper. But we have a lot of car tourists and those who travel by train.

D.D.: Of course, the economic crisis has taken its toll. Tourism in general always actively responds to political and economic changes in the country. When there was a jump in the dollar, we sank international tourism. Then the population got used to the situation, and foreign tourism began to grow again. Then the closure of Turkey again strongly affected the growth of domestic tourism. People quickly changed Egypt to Vietnam and Thailand. Of course, if Turkey returns as a full-fledged holiday destination, there will be an outflow of tourists. But all the same, the growth of the internal is already constant and it will not curtail.

The growth of interest in recreation is growing, which means that the economy is stabilizing, consumers trust the tourism sector.

In general, in general, we observe a trend of interest in Russian regions. There is no sharp jump yet, but we see interest. The best growth, to sum up, is shown by Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi and Crimea - beach and sightseeing tourism.

TRN: Don't you think that while our domestic tourism is often more expensive foreign holiday? How much rest inside Russia is now available to the consumer?

D.D.: If we compare beach tourism, then our Sochi is quite comparable with Turkey, Greece, Spain, Crimea.

As for unusual vacation options, like, say, Baikal, it is fair to compare it only with the same expensive extraordinary vacation in some interesting places abroad. Yes, the infrastructure on Baikal is not yet developed, let's be honest. But the population will not go there en masse, this is a special tourism. In winter there are severe frosts, in summer midges. These places have their own tourist. And for him, of course, you need to create decent conditions.

As for our main sightseeing cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow, they already create strong competition for Paris, Rome, London. We are showing good growth in sightseeing tourism.

TRN: How do you assess the prospects for the development of domestic tourism this year?

D.D.: In 2018, we will see a significant increase in domestic tourism, given that Russia will host the World Cup. In addition to a million fans from abroad, we will also have a decent domestic flow. I assume that the number of tourists in Russia will increase by at least 6 million people. Thus, if in 2017 the volume of the domestic tourism market was 56.8 million people, then this year we expect 62-63 million tourists.

The summer season was not as successful as the tourism business of Lake Teletskoye expected. From entrepreneurs and employees of Altai biosphere reserve information was received that the number of tourists had significantly decreased last season. In general, Lake Teletskoye received approximately 15% of the regional flow.

If we talk about the seasons of the last decade, this one can be called one of the weakest. According to O. Samokhvalova, director of the information tourist center of the Teletskoye Lake "Kedrogor", the flow has decreased by 2 times. The expert admits that now there is an oversupply on the lake, as more accommodation facilities have appeared and tourists have simply spread out. There were a lot of vacationers on the lake last year in the summer. It was easy to notice, since it was almost impossible to find a free place at the camp site. Traffic jams have formed on the streets due to the increase in the number of vehicles.

Last summer provided a similar load only on one weekend, when the Teletsky water festival was held at the end of July. The number of sales has also decreased among the owners of souvenir stalls. At the beginning of the summer, there were no sales at all, while in July and August the situation became a bit even.

Such an assessment was also received from representatives of the Altai Biosphere Reserve, which takes into account guests at a number of famous sights, such as the Korbu waterfall. The location of the waterfall is convenient - on the right bank of Lake Teletskoye, just an hour's drive from the village of Artybash. By the way, the village has boat station, which sends tourists on an entertaining excursion to the waterfall. It is worth noting that most travelers consider it their duty to make such a mini-journey by water transport. Moreover, 3 years ago it was possible to restore the unique Pioneer of Altai motor ship, which also attracts attention. Approximately 68 thousand tourists visited here last year.

Tourists have become less interested not only in the Korbu waterfall, but also in other attractions. The number of people wishing to visit the Uchar waterfall in the Chulyshman river valley has decreased. The problem is that the local tourism business was counting on other indicators, so it is rather difficult to accept a decrease in the flow of tourists by almost 2 times. According to the director of the tourism center "Yurtok" and the head of the "Teletsky ski-board club" S. Karnaukh, there is a fall, but his institution was ready for this. Many were inspired by the rise of last year, which is why it was so difficult to accept the decrease this year. Although, this situation can rather be called stabilization after last year's rise, rather than decline.

Many tourists are now in a difficult financial situation, so they stayed at home for the holidays. S. Zyablitsky, head of the Association of Tourist Organizations, claims that his tourist complex Manzherok experienced a significant decline this year. July was hot enough, but the tourists were still in no hurry to go, and those who arrived were no longer throwing money away. If earlier almost everyone ordered dining services for themselves, then this year exactly the same number of tourists cooked for themselves in order to save money. They pay only for accommodation, and they already deal with food themselves.

It is worth noting that Teletskoye Lake suffered from the lack of tourists no more than anyone else. This region is one of the most attractive in the Altai Territory. The lake is located away from the main highway - the Chuisky tract, but this does not prevent tourists from safely getting to it. Most of the accommodation facilities are built on the northern side of the lake in the villages of Iogach and Artybash. For the convenience of tourists, stations are also located here, which are the start for many tourist routes.

As for the southern part of the lake, it is less developed, but this does not mean that there is no point in going there. Vacationers are attracted by the valley of the Chulyshman River, "stone mushrooms", the Uchar waterfall, as well as the difficult Katu-Yaryk automobile pass. If you plan an excursion with the involvement of water transport, you need to overcome about 80 kilometers along the lake. This, of course, will entail waste.

It is possible that interest in this area will grow. Not all people can afford a vacation abroad. Whoever says anything, but rest within the country is much cheaper than in the same Turkey, O. Samokhvalova believes. It is not necessary to stay in the north of the lake and pay for accommodation in hotels if you can drive south and arrange wild vacation. In this case, people take food with them and cook their own food, and the sights do not disappear. It turns out that you can relax and see the sights almost free of charge.

Are you considering Lake Teletskoye as an alternative to expensive resorts? Would you trade a seaside holiday for a riverside holiday?

Winter hiking is considered to be the lot of extreme lovers in love with nature. But what if behind the ideological forcing of snowdrifts there are advantages and benefits available to everyone? We tell you why it is necessary to get out into nature in winter.

special air

In winter, there is practically no dust in the air, but the oxygen concentration rises by 10-15%. At this time, an outing into nature becomes a real healing session: while walking, ventilation of the lungs increases one and a half to two times, and useful saturation occurs faster.

Products keep longer

In the cold season, the backpack automatically turns into a portable refrigerator - you can take with you not only perishable products, but also delicacies that are not typical for a hike, such as dumplings or frozen vegetables. By the way, we wrote about how to choose the right dumplings and how many pieces you can eat without harm to your figure and health.

Secret paths open

In winter, many bodies of water freeze, opening up new routes and opportunities. Walking around the island in the middle of the lake, approaching an inaccessible rock on the river bank, shortening the path right through the swamps - this is the advantage of sub-zero temperatures. The main thing is to remember to be careful: earlier we knew what kind of ice it was dangerous to go on and how to determine its density by eye.

Well, when else will it be possible to stand on your head in the middle of the lake? Photo: Pavel Raspopov

Easier to burn calories...

In the cold at physical activity the body burns more calories - spending them, among other things, on warming up the muscles and maintaining the desired body temperature. To enhance the effect, you can take trekking poles with you on a hike: they will force all muscles to participate in the movement. They will also help to overcome impassability, unload your back, increase walking speed and even protect yourself from injuries in case of an unsuccessful fall. We wrote about how to choose how this wonderful unit is.

...and harder - the forest

In order to set fire to something surrounded by snowdrifts (sometimes even the fire itself) - you have to try very hard. This means that you can not waste time on overly painstaking lining of the fire pit and not worry about every spark flying out of the fire. You can also extinguish the flame in a matter of seconds.

In winter, the fire is safe for the forest. Photo: Evgenia Skachkova

A New Look to old landscapes

Snow and ice transform nature beyond recognition. Dense thickets suddenly turn into a magical forest from a New Year's card, and the usual Railway on a frosty evening, it shines as if someone had scattered kilograms of sequins over it. The rocks look especially impressive: bright snow emphasizes their relief, all the unique shapes, cracks and depressions.

For example, a pond near Upper Barancha was covered with amazing snow crystals in November. Photo: Pavel Raspopov

This is not the top of the "thousander" ridge, but the modest Mount Kolpaki on the border Sverdlovsk region And Perm Territory. Its height above sea level is only 614 meters. Photo: Pavel Raspopov

And this is how the Old Lens, familiar to many, is transformed at different times of the year. Photo: Pavel Raspopov

Easier to see wild animals

In winter, animals become bolder in search of food: birds are more likely to fly up to you for treats, and a curious fox may well appear not far from the camp. If you are not lucky with a personal meeting, you can admire the animal tracks - the snow does not leave a chance for a secret movement. However, here it is worth remembering about safety: how to behave when meeting with forest dwellers and not disturb the most dangerous of them, we will tell you in detail next week.

This is what rabbit tracks look like. Photo: Evgenia Skachkova

Harder to see other tourists

With the advent of winter, the number of tourists decreases even in the most popular natural parks - which means that you can not push on narrow paths. This fact will definitely please introverts and those who like to enjoy nature alone.

Less discomfort from precipitation

Even in the heaviest snowfall, you won’t get wet through, you won’t find yourself in squelching boots, and you won’t end up in a puddle on a washed-out forest path. Enjoy until spring arrives.

Forget about arachnophobia

If you want to get closer to the wildlife, but the thought of its creeping-biting representatives makes you panic, then winter is the best time for the first trips.

Whether it will be a weekend walk with a return to the warmth of civilization or a full-fledged extreme hike with an overnight stay in tents - it's up to you. An intermediate option is to use special shelters for tourists.

For example, the cost of a comfortable overnight stay in “ deer streams» is from 450 rubles for a place in a wooden house (with a refrigerator, electric stove and outdoor toilet) to 1000 rubles for a bed in a two-room suite with sofas, TV and all amenities.

In the ecotourism complex Merry mountains” (the territory of the Visimsky Reserve) guests are offered houses with modern renovation, fireplaces and panoramic windows. The price of pleasure is 1000 rubles per day.

You can spend the night on Taganay by paying 150 rubles for a place in a stationary winter tent with stove heating or 500 rubles - for a bed in a comfortable wooden house.

On Zyuratkul, for staying in a house with amenities, they will ask from 350 to 1000 rubles, depending on the conditions.

From camping tents to "city" rooms, nature parks offer accommodations for all tastes. Photo: website of the natural park "Deer Streams" / website of the natural park "Taganay"

I remind you that if you have any questions regarding hikes - send them to the mail. If possible, we will find answers to them together!

Plot

Evgenia Skachkova, a columnist for the Regional Newspaper, talks about camp life and life on campaigns.