The Mayor of Kazan on tourism industry: “It managed to take a punch”

In 2021, 3 million tourists visited Kazan- almost as many as in 2018, when the coronavirus pandemic had not yet affected the industry. “The return of the tourist flow to the pre–pandemic level proves the reputation of Kazan among tourists,- Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, said today at the Business Monday meeting at the Executive Committee. – That means a lot and we should continue developing the industry”.

On peak days of the New Year’s holidays, hotel occupancy reached 97%

According to the results of 2021, the average occupancy of hotels and hostels – amounted to 60%, while the biggest monthly occupancy– from 83 to 86% – was in summer months, Director of the Tourism Development Committee Daria Sannikova reported.

The Kazan Kremlin remains the main point of attraction for tourists – 3,029,068 people visited it during the year. For reference, in 2020, only 1.8 million tourists visited the Kremlin. Museums are also popular among travelers – more than 33 thousand people visited the City Panorama Museum last year, and about 26,000 people visited the Chak-Chak Museum.

One hundred and thirty-eight thousand people spent New Year's holidays in the capital of Tatarstan. The average occupancy of the main hotels from December 30 to January 10 was 73%, and on peak dates – January 3, 4, 5 – reached 97%.

“We need to continue developing the tourism industry, strictly observing the requirements of Rospotrebnadzor”

As many as 3 million tourists visited the city. Moreover, this number does not include tourists who stay in rent apartments or come to visit relatives. Foreign tourists arrived to Kazan mainly from Turkey, Kazakhstan, China, India, Ukraine, while the number of tourists from Egypt increased by 149% compared to 2020. From Russian cities, tourists mainly came from Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as from Samara, Ufa, Cheboksary, Yekaterinburg and Nizhny Novgorod.

“Due to the pandemic, we didn't invite tourists, but we were glad to see everyone who came to us, – commented I.Metshin. – Since 2006, we have dreamed that Kazan would become one of the centers of inbound tourism in Russia. There were skeptics, but we continue to develop tourism. Today we see the enduring tourist flow, which we successfully manage, despite the pandemic”.

The number of enterprises and organizations in the tourism industry of Kazan has changed slightly – this indicates the sustainability of the industry, the Mayor believes: “Some hotel and catering enterprises left the market, but the bulk of enterprises have survived, we have managed to take a punch.”

Experts do not undertake to predict the tourist flow for the coming years – as D. Sannikova noted, it depends on the epidemiological situation. However, Kazan has already managed to show tourists that the city is ready to take care of their health, the Mayor noted. “In the previous two years, the enterprises of the industry have learnt to adjust. Each employee of the industry should show responsibility. Therefore, strictly observing the rules of Rospotrebnadzor (Federal Agency for Protection the Consumers Rights), it is possible and necessary to continue developing the tourism industry,”- the head of the city noted.