The 13th international tourism exhibition Baikaltur opened in Irkutsk, where the number of participants has noticeably fallen and the range of represented companies has narrowed. Visitors can see stands from the Czech Republic, China, Korea and local tourist bases, and learn how the tourism business is responding to changing demand and the economic crisis. Three more days of presentations and seminars remain, where topics from customs formalities to the industry outlook will be discussed.

The 13th International Tourism Exhibition “Baikaltur” began work yesterday at the Irkutsk SibExpoCenter. Compared with previous years, the number of participants has decreased, and their geography has narrowed. For example, the announced tour companies from Primorsky and Krasnoyarsk territories, the Altai Republic, and Omsk Region did not make it to Irkutsk.
Visitors to the booth of the National Tourist Office of the Czech Republic were offered a chance to try real Pilsner beer. There were also many colorful brochures with offers to visit Prague, Karlovy Vary, or Ostrava. By the way, in 2008 Russians were among the top three most frequent tourists in the Czech Republic, after Germans and English.
What share of them are Siberians is unknown. But it is known that residents of Eastern Siberia and the Far East visit the PRC more often than other Russians. More than a dozen Chinese tour companies are represented at “Baikaltur.” However, some participants are slightly disappointed. “We came to this exhibition in previous years. And it occupied 2, or even 3 pavilions. This time only one. There are fewer participants. But we are not discouraged, and we hope that Russian tourists - especially from Irkutsk - will continue to travel to China,” said Li Yuxiang, general director of one of the Chinese tour companies.
Representatives of the Korea National Tourism Organization are so far only studying Irkutsk residents’ demand for their services on paper. Irkutsk residents are filling out questionnaires on the topic: what do they know about the Land of Morning Freshness?
The booth of the Olkhonsky District is enjoying great popularity. The owner of the tourist base, Yakov Vasilenko, proudly recounts how he spent all the profits last year so that the “amenities in the yard” would become more modern. “Using my experience, I decided to build a sewage system. You can sleep in a tent. You can eat by the campfire. But a proper shower and toilet are a requirement of today!”, said Yakov Vasilenko, owner of a tourist base in Olkhonsky District.
The exhibition will continue for three more days. Many presentations and seminars are planned. Participants will discuss various issues - from customs formalities to trends in the tourism business in connection with the economic crisis.