CC BY
15УДК 338.486
J. Neumeier, A.L. Zelezinskii, O.V. Arhipova
THE ROLE OF FRIENDLY PROGRAMS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INCOMING TOURISM IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
The article is devoted to the consideration of the experience of implementation and assessment of the role of umbrella Friendly programs in the development of inbound tourism in the Russian Federation. The authors note that the current state of the Russian tourist market provokes the search for mechanisms that will ensure the stable growth of the domestic tourism industry. One of them can be considered an orientation towards the development of domestic tourism in the Russian Federation, the other is targeted work with incoming flows, taking into account the needs of target groups in order to restructure behavioral motives. Among the conceptually holistic programs for serving separately selected target consumer groups, umbrella Friendly programs are of particular interest.
Keywords: Umbrella friendly programs, inbound tourism, tourism, industry and hospitality, attracting tourist flow.
Ж.Нумьер1, А.Л.Зелезинский2, О.В.Архипова3
РОЛЬ ЗОНТИЧНЫХ FRIENDLY ПРОГРАММ В РАЗВИТИИ ВЪЕЗДНОГО ТУРИЗМА В РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ
Статья посвящена рассмотрению опыта реализации и оценке роли зонтичных Friendly программ в развитии въездного туризма в Российской Федерации. Авторы отмечают, что конъюнктура туристского рынка России, сложившаяся на сегодняшний день, провоцирует поиск механизмов, которые позволят обеспечить стабильный рост отечественной туристской отрасли. Одним из них можно считать ориентацию на развитие внутреннего туризма в Российской Федерации, другим - точечную работу с въездными потоками, с учётом потребностей целевых групп с целью реструктуризации поведенческих мотивов. Среди концептуально целостных программ обслуживания отдельно выбранных целевых потребительских групп особый интерес вызывают зонтичные Friendly программы.
Ключевые слова: зонтичные Friendly программы, въездной туризм, туризм, индустрия и гостеприимство, привлечение туристского потока.
DOI: 10.36807/2411-7269-2023-2-33-89-95
Introduction. To date, the strategy for the development of tourism and hospitality in Russia is aimed at the predominant development of domestic tourism, however, the issues of supporting inbound tourism remain relevant. Among the solutions that make it possible to implement effective methods of attracting and retaining the external tourist flow is taking into account the interests and needs of specific target audiences to achieve a high level of service and quality of service.
It should be noted that at present, world tourism is gradually returning to its normal state. The latest travel restrictions are being lifted in the Asia-Pacific region, China has resumed tourism since January 8, 2023 [3]. Before the pandemic, the inbound tourist flow reached 1.5 million. However, up to 1.2 million of them came according to tour operator lists (the so-called visa-free for tourist groups). Now, Russia issues tourist visas to Chinese tourists and for its part
1 Нумьер Ж., аспирант Технологического университета Труа, г. Труа (Франция) Neumeier J., Postgraduate of the University of Technology of Troyes, Troyes (France) E-mail: [email protected]
2 Зелезинский А.Л., доцент кафедры менеджмента и маркетинга, кандидат педагогических наук, доцент; ФГБОУ ВО "Санкт-Петербургский государственный технологический институт (технический университет)", г. Санкт-Петербург
Zelezinskii A.L., Associate Professor of the Department of Management and Marketing, PhD in Pedagogics, Associate Professor; Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "Saint-Petersburg State Institute of Technology (Technical University)", Saint-Petersburg E-mail: [email protected]
3 Архипова О.В., профессор кафедры гостиничного и ресторанного бизнеса, доктор философских наук, доцент; ФГБОУ ВО "Санкт-Петербургский государственный экономический университет", г. Санкт-Петербург
Arhipova O.V., Professor of the Department of Hotel and Restaurant Business, Doctor of Philosophy, Associate Professor; Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "Saint-Petersburg State University of Economics", Saint-Petersburg E-mail: [email protected]
has restored the action on group visa-free travel. However, China does not issue visas to Russian tourists yet, and technical issues still need to be settled on visa-free travel [3].
The current conjuncture of the Russian tourism market provokes the search for mechanisms that will ensure the stable growth of the domestic tourism industry. One of them can be considered a focus on the development of domestic tourism in the Russian Federation; the other is targeted work with inbound flows, taking into account the needs of target groups in order to restructure behavioral motives. Among conceptually holistic service programs for separately selected target consumer groups, umbrella Friendly programs are of particular interest. Let's consider three key Friendly programs implemented in Russia today.
"India Friendly". The program to promote Russia in the tourist market of India - "India Friendly" is a policy designed to create a comfortable environment for tourists from India to stay in Russia, who, when traveling outside their country, experience a number of inconveniences due to centuries-old national and cultural characteristics and traditions of everyday life and everyday life.
"India Friendly" is a voluntary certification of subjects of the tourism and hospitality industry, confirming that an organization that has passed the certification can provide services that meet the criteria of Indian tourists [11], [12].
The India Friendly program officially started in Russia in September 2016, when an Agreement on cooperation in the development of Russian-Indian relations in the field of tourism and hospitality was signed between the Russian Information Center (RIC, Mumbai), the NorthWestern Regional Branch of the Russian Union of Tourism Industry, the Department of Hotel and Restaurant Business of St. Petersburg State National University of Economics (SPbSIE), the national marketing agency Visit Russia.
Later, the partners of the program became St. Petersburg Institute of Business and Innovation, Alean Tour Operator, Federation of Travel Agencies of India (TAFI). The program is also implemented with the support of the Federal Agency for Tourism (Rosturizm) and the information portal RroHotel. The Russian-Indian Information Center (RIIC), the coordinator of the India Friendly program in Russia, is of particular importance in the implementation of the program [10]. General Director of RIIC - A.S. Skobeltsyna, Candidate of Cultural Studies, Associate Professor of the Department of Hotel and Restaurant Business of St. Petersburg State University of Economics.
The program provides for the creation of a brand, the formation of demand, marketing and sales channels for Russian tourism and hospitality enterprises. The project opens up new opportunities for Russian businesses to promote their products and services to one of the largest financial and human markets in Southeast Asia.
In this regard, Russian tour operators are expanding the geography of their contacts, developing promising tourist markets in Central and Southeast Asia (China, India), Muslim countries (Iran, etc.) [11]. The number of tourists coming from India to Russia is growing by 1820% annually and ranks 5th in terms of growth rate, overtaking China. Therefore, Russia is interested in Indian tourists, and the enterprises of the hotel industry are ready to create comfortable conditions for the stay of Indian tourists with the help of the "India Friendly" program.
The program to promote Russia in the tourist market of India - India Friendly - is designed to:
- create a comfortable environment for tourists from India to stay in Russia, who, when traveling outside their country, experience a number of inconveniences due to centuries-old national and cultural characteristics and traditions of everyday life and everyday life;
- expand the geography of travel of Indian tourists around the world in general, and in Russia in particular, to involve new regions of Russia and the world in tourist programs;
- open new opportunities for Russian businesses to promote their products and services to one of the largest financial and human markets in the South-East Asia. A deeper understanding of the needs and expectations of Indian tourists and participation in the India Friendly program will allow the subjects of the Russian tourism industry: to obtain the India Friendly Certificate of Conformity; to expand the channels of sale of their services, gaining access to the rapidly growing and developing market of the Indian tourism industry; to increase their income; to gain competitive advantages [10].
Inclusion in the program takes the form of training and certification, and includes:
- training of employees of the accommodation company according to the program of additional professional education: theory and practice (including training of hotel staff and chefs of the hotel restaurant in Indian cuisine);
- adaptation of the accommodation company to the requirements of the "India Friendly"
project;
- organization of verification of the accommodation facility by the India Friendly expert commission and issuance of India Friendly certificates of conformity;
- organization of events to promote the accommodation company in the tourist market
of India.
The participants of the program will be awarded a certificate confirming that the object of the tourism industry can provide high-quality services that meet the needs and preferences of tourists from India. The certification will be carried out by a special expert council consisting of representatives of the Russian and Indian tourism industries, orientalists who know the specifics of working with Indians, psychology, culture, mentality and specifics of conducting a dialogue with Indian partners [10], [12].
Collective accommodation facilities can become participants of the program:
- hotels, small accommodation facilities, mini-hotels, etc.;
- individual apartments;
- specialized accommodation facilities: sanatoriums, houses and recreation centers;
- catering establishments;
- cultural institutions: museums, parks, theaters, cinemas, exhibition halls and galleries,
etc.;
- trade enterprises;
- excursion organizations;
- transport companies;
- other infrastructure enterprises.
To obtain the India Friendly Certificate of Conformity, it is necessary that the service enterprise meets the criteria of the corresponding levels (A or B) formulated in the requirements for enterprises.
Table 1 - The main requirements for hotels hosting Indian tourists [10]
Catering Communication Equipment Services
- adapted breakfast at the hotel: at least 5 names of hot vegetarian dishes at breakfast, indication on the plates of vegetarian/non-vegetarian dishes, indication on the plates of the presence of beef in the dish; - the possibility of organizing catering from Indian restaurants in the city, or the presence in the restaurant of a means of accommodating its own chef, a specialist in Indian cuisine; - menu in English - English-speaking staff - website, information materials of the organization, navigation in English; - availability of access to the English-language press; - the ability to make payments by bank cards; - adapters for electrical appliances (Asian standard, to give together with the key) - possibility to accommodate groups of 10 people or more; - tea, coffee, hot water, round the clock (cooler in the hallway or electric kettle in the room); - daily drinking water (free of charge % liter per day per person in bottles or coolers); - TV channels in English; - free Wi-Fi.
Based on the data presented in Table 1, we can say that the main requirements for enterprises are the organization of tourist services in English, the organization of special services in hotel rooms (tea, bottled water, etc.). The availability of special meals from Indian and vegetarian dishes is especially important for Indian tourists.
For the enterprises participating in the "India Friendly" program, it is provided:
- assistance in promotion in the Indian market through Indian travel agents and tour operators, through the media;
- weekly e-mail newsletters with news about the participants of the program;
- informing the participants of the program about current events in the field of Indian-Russian relations in the field of tourism and hospitality, about the news of Indian outbound tourism;
- free consultation of a specialist on the criteria and features of the assessment of tourism and hospitality facilities by India Friendly experts;
- inclusion in the India Friendly catalog on websites india-friendly.com (eng), india-friendly.ru (rus) and in the printed version;
- special prices for additional services to promote Russian companies in the Indian tourism market;
- information support of the project participants from the Russian Information Center in India [12].
To promote the participants of the India Friendly program, the following promotional activities are provided:
- International tourism exhibitions in India: Satte (Delhi) and OTM (Mumbai);
- inclusion of the hotel in the printed catalog "India Friendly", which is distributed at exhibitions, in the offices of the largest tour operators in India;
- 4 road-shows per year, in cities of India: (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad);
- project presentations at specialized conferences, forums and other business events;
- posting information about the participants on the website www.india-friendly.ru , www.india-friendly.in , www.russinfo.center;
- weekly mailing of emails with information about the India Friendly project and its participants on the database of Indian tour operators and corporate clients (more than 27,000 recipients);
- monthly publications with news of the program, special offers of its participants in the specialized media of India;
- inclusion of the hotel tour in the program of promotional tours conducted for Indian tour operators and the media several times a year.
It can be noted that the hotels participating in this program are concentrated in three cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sochi. It was these cities that aroused the greatest interest from Indian tourists. Most of the hotels participating in the program were located in St. Petersburg. When hotels accepted the first groups of Indian tourists within the framework of the program, as a result, it was found out that Russian hotels are not ready for the mass reception of tourists from India, confirming this by the fact that hotel companies face a lot of difficulties. One of these difficulties is providing meals to Indian tourists.
Conducted marketing research shows that Indian cuisine in Russia is not as popular as, for example, Chinese. For example, there are few Indian restaurants in St. Petersburg, only 39 (according to the Restoclub resource), most of them have menus of mixed cuisines, but even those in which the purely Indian menu is adapted to Russians, which does not suit Indians at all.
Also, for Indian tourists, in terms of hotel service, constant access to drinking water, tea and coffee, English-speaking staff and information materials in English, Internet access, air conditioning in the rooms, hygienic shower is important. As well as taking into account, some specific features of communication and national character.
Among the key trends in the development of the program, we can note the growth of participating hotels (the participants included hotels in the regions of Russia), as well as the expansion of services for program participants. Therefore, back in 2018, master classes were developed for hospitality workers in order to eliminate the problem associated with the service of Indian tourists, and mainly with the provision of catering services to Indian tourists. The master classes are aimed at positive changes in the structure of servicing Indian tourists, which will further contribute to solving problems with servicing tourists from India.
It can be concluded that in general, the "India Friendly" program has positive development trends, many events are being held that somehow contribute to an increase in the tourist flow from India, the spread of the program in the Indian tourism market, as well as the elimination of many nuances associated with the reception and service of Indian tourists (workshops and internships for employees areas of the hospitality industry).
CURRENT TRENDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY IN THE CONTEXT OF AN INCREASE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND ASIAN TOURIST FLOW. TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS OF EUROPEAN TOURISTS, RUSSIAN HOSPITALITY COMPANIES ARE FORCED TO REBUILD THE SERVICE FOR NEW GUESTS FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA AND MUSLIM COUNTRIES. TO DO THIS, CHINESE MENUS ARE INTRODUCED IN HOTELS AND STAFF ARE TRAINED IN THE NORMS OF ISLAMIC ETIQUETTE, INFORMATION ABOUT ISLAMIC VALUES, THE CONCEPTS OF HALAL AND HARAM.
Moreover, the demographic picture of inbound tourism may differ in different cities of Russia. So, the main guests came to St. Petersburg from China and Iran; to Moscow - from China, Turkey, India, Iran, Indonesia; to Vladivostok, Novosibirsk - from China; to Astrakhan -from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, etc. Since China and Iran have become the main sources of tourists for most hotels, many chains are included in programs to adapt hotels for Chinese and Iranian tourists [5], [6].
As part of the implementation of adaptation projects of hotel enterprises globally, three strategic areas of work can be distinguished - these are:
- a program for assigning the status of "Halal friendly" and "China friendly" to accommodation facilities, as well as other enterprises of the tourism industry and other related areas;
- a program to promote the Russian tourist product;
- international cooperation and interaction with authorities.
"Halal friendly" and "China friendly" are systems of voluntary certification of services of tourism industry enterprises to meet the needs of tourists from different countries of the world.
The certificate of conformity "Halal friendly" and "China friendly" is an official independent confirmation that the enterprise of the tourism industry meets the criteria of the program.
The criteria of the program "Halal friendly" and "China friendly" are a set of services, using which the enterprise of the tourism industry improves the quality of service for receiving tourists. In addition, this is a list of indicators by which a tourist industry enterprise passes voluntary certification for compliance with voluntary certification systems.
"China friendly". The "China friendly" program was launched in 2014 by the tourism association "World Without Borders" to improve the level of service. The criteria for the adaptation of tourist industry facilities according to the China Friendly system are presented in Table 2.
Table 2 - Criteria for adaptation of a hotel company under the "China friendly" program
Information about the accommodation facility Payment Services at the hotel, including in the room Service personnel
Website in Chinese; Navigation signs in Chinese; Information materials on the counter in Chinese; Business card in Chinese; Press in Chinese. Availability of a POS terminal with the ability to pay with China Un-ionPay cards; ATM accepting China UnionPay cards. Free Wi-Fi; Information in the room about services in Chinese; Hot boiled water; TV channels in Chinese; Electrical sockets of the standard adopted in China, or adapters; Adapted breakfast; Restaurant menu in Chinese. Hotel staff who speak Chinese; The possibility of rapid translation of Chinese speech.
Hotels also meet the wishes of Muslims, who are now becoming one of the most desired customers. Hotels and restaurants in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Ufa, Sochi are already participating in the Halal-Friendly program [15]. More than 50 countries in the world are officially recognized as Muslim. At the same time, in a number of other countries, a significant percentage of the Muslim population. There are only 2.4% Muslims in China, but in absolute numbers it is about 30 million people. According to hoteliers, the increase in the flow of domestic tourism has also added religious diversity to the life of hotels.
"Halal friendly". The Halal friendly hospitality program was launched in September 2015 by Sputnik - Sport and Business Travel LLC and is designed to attract tourists from Muslim countries, as well as regions of Russia, which, according to some estimates, is home to more than 20 million Muslims out of more than 2 billion Muslims living in the world. Unfortunately, the lack of information on creating favorable conditions for Muslims to live and eat in accordance with their customs and needs is a factor constraining the flow of foreign Muslim tourists traveling to Russia.
In accordance with the regulations of the certification procedure within the framework of the Halal-Friendly Standard voluntary certification system, the objects of voluntary certification are accommodation facilities, including hotel services, catering facilities, fitness services, hair-dressing and beauty salons, retail services, as well as personnel. It should be noted that applicants have the opportunity to certify not the entire hotel complex as a whole, but only the number of rooms (a limited number of rooms) or only catering services. It can also be exclusively a restaurant or a cafe.
One of the most effective and efficient ways to solve this issue is the introduction and application of the Halal friendly project in Russia, focused on the formation of a network of tourism industry enterprises, the main of which are hotels and restaurants.
As for the criteria for hotels that meet the requirements of Halal, they are as follows: the absence of alcoholic beverages directly in the rooms (mini bars, etc.), the presence of free space in the room sufficient for prayer, as well as a prayer mat, the presence of a Qibla sign in the room (the direction of prayer towards the Kaaba in Mecca), the absence of images, statues, symbols depicting living beings. The bathroom in the room must be provided with means for performing a special ablution: a hygienic shower, a bidet, and in their absence - a kumgan (jug, watering can).
In order for a restaurant to comply with Halal requirements, food products used to provide Halal catering services must be located in specially designated and labeled storage areas (storage rooms and/or containers, refrigeration equipment, etc.).
In addition, it is not allowed to mix food products used for the provision of halal services with other products during storage. The equipment and inventory used in the processing of food products and the preparation of dishes (cutting boards, knives, dishes, technological containers, etc.) should be used exclusively for dishes prepared as part of the provision of Halal catering services. The use of such equipment and inventory for the preparation of other products is not
allowed. It is also necessary to comply with special requirements in connection with Ramadan (meals at night during fasting, etc.).
Accommodation facilities for Muslims today are represented by two types: fully halal hotels specializing in the reception of Muslims, and hotels with the status of "Halal" for services and menus. A large number of halal hotels and resorts are located in countries such as Malaysia, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Indonesia, which are popular destinations for rest and travel of Muslims. One of the main features of halal hotels is a complete ban on the sale of alcohol. All the food offered at the hotel complies with the "Halal" standard. During Ramadan, meals are organized after sunset and before dawn. In halal hotels there are prayer rooms, and in some there are mosques. Islamic TV channels are available in the rooms. Guests are offered guided tours related to the history of Islam. Another important feature of halal resorts is separate recreation areas (beaches, pools, spa areas) for men and women.
The categories of hotels providing halal services are presented in more detail in Table
3.
Table 3 - Categories of hotels providing halal services
Category Services
One Moon The hotel rooms are equipped according to the norms of Islam (without paintings depicting people or animals, without statues), they have a prayer schedule, as well as information about nearby Halal catering establishments.
Two Moons Guests are also served halal breakfasts. For those who wish, there is a prayer room available.
Three Moons The hotel has a separate kitchen halal.
Four Moons On the territory of the hotel, there are special separate pools, saunas, hairdressers and SPA salons with staff of the same sex with the guests served.
Five Moons The hotel provides exclusively halal services and must fully comply with the norms of Islam.
In Russia today, the topic of "Halal" certification for services and menus has been developed. This is the second type of hotels for which Muslims are one of the target groups.
Conclusion. One of the goals of the "India Friendly", "Halal friendly" and "China friendly" programs is to promote the national tourism product of Russia on the international and domestic markets, to promote the development of inbound and domestic tourism in the Russian Federation. The projects are designed to create a comfortable stay environment for confessional tourists, aimed at increasing interest in Russia as a tourist destination.
Undoubtedly, obtaining a certificate of compliance of services with the requirements of the programs after verification will be an additional advantage of hotels that will be able to offer the set of services to which this category of tourists is accustomed and feels safe and comfortable.
The development of the tourism and hospitality industry in Russia is accompanied by various crisis phenomena today. However, most enterprises come to realize that for each particular company, their overcoming and successful operation depend not only on the economic policy of the state and property relations, but also on a number of other factors, among which one of the most important is the strategic management of the enterprise. Today, hospitality enterprises in the course of their work should, in addition to creating stronger ties with partners, develop closer ties with consumers. More and more, marketing is shifting the focus from individual transactions to creating more valuable relationships and marketing networks of connections. The umbrella Friendly programs presented in the article are conceptually holistic solutions that serve as examples of point work with inbound flows, taking into account the needs of target groups in order to restructure behavioral motives.
The principle of adaptability of the sustainable development of the hotel takes into account both short-term predictable and unpredictable changes in the external parameters of business functioning, and long-term strategic trends in the development of macro-environment parameters, which contributes to the effective formation of mechanisms for long-term and short-term adaptation to the changing conditions of the hotel business.
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