Experts predict good winter season for St Pete tourist industry

ST. PETERSBURG, September 11 (Itar-Tass) -- Experts predict success
for the tourist industry of St. Petersburg in the coming winter season.
This forecast was voiced at a news conference at the regional center of
Itar-Tass devoted to the results of last summer's operation of a new ferry
line between St. Petersburg and Helsinki.
The president of the company St.ReterLine, Igor Glukhov, and executive
director of the Russian Travel Industry Union's regional branch, Tatiana
Gavrilova, said their optimism was associated with improving situation in
the country's tourist industry in general. Over the past six months the
travel industry regained its pre-crisis positions. The project for
creating a large passenger seaport in St. Petersburg increased the
capacity to accommodate foreign ships and to open the ferry line St.
Petersburg-Helsinki last April.
Last summer St. Petersburg welcomed 376 passenger liners from
different countries, including the vessels making shuttle voyages between
Russia and Finland. From April to September 2010 more than 100 thousand
passengers enjoyed a fascinating journey about the Baltic Sea on board the
ice class cruise ferry The Princess Mary. By the beginning of 2011, their
number, according to experts, will rise to 180,000. Gavrilova hopes it is
the ferry line that will contribute tangibly to the expected influx of
tourists into St. Petersburg during the winter. Other contributing factors
are a visa-free regimen for 72 hours and the White Days program.
Participating ferry passengers will be entitled to hotel accommodation and
tickets to cultural and recreational activities at large discounts.

-0-str