The III Republican specialized exhibition Tourism and holiday-making in Buryatia" was passing in Ulan-Ude in the Palace of Children's (Youth)Creative Activity from May, 25 till May, 27, 2006. The organizers of the exhibition were the Republican agency on tourism, the Buryat Regional Organization of Russian Union of Tourindustry, the Republican agency on physical training and sports. The exhibition was carried out with the support of the Ministry of economic development and foreign relations of the Republic of Buryatia, Administration of the city of Ulan-Ude and the Military - insurance company, that shows interest of the official structures and other organizations of the republic in the development of tourindustry in Buryatia.
The main purpose of the exhibition is development and making business contacts between participants of the tourist market of Buryatia by conducting meetings with representatives of tourist industry, regional administrations, sharing experience and determination price policy of a forthcoming summer season. The exhibition gave an opportunity to the companies - participants of the exhibition rendering services in tourist sphere, to show their suggestions to inhabitants of Ulan-Ude and Buryatia.
In the ceremonial opening of the exhibition took part the Chief federal inspector in the Republic of Buryatia, B.V.- Danilov, the deputy Chairman of the National Khural of RB - Kalashnikov I.I., the head of the Plenipotentiary representation of the President of the Russian Federation - Balzhirov B.G., the deputy President of the Government of RB - Efimov S.G., the head of Department of tourism in Irkutsk region - Ryutina I.V., the mayor of Ulan-Ude - Aidaev G.A., minister of economic development and foreign relations of RB - Dumnova T.G., the head of Republican agency on tourism - Maksanova L.B-Zh. This exhibition is the third one, and it gathered a great number of participants, among them are 12 tourism-oriented districts of the republic, tourist companies, tourist centres, hotels, resorts, insurance companies, museums, national parks, restaurants, shops selling special eguipment, manufacturers of souvenir production and felt yurtas, advertising - information editions, sports tourist federations. 56 companies from Buryatia and the neighbouring Olkhonsky region of the Irkutsk oblast took part in the exhibition. Nearly three thousand people visited the exhibition. Representatives of tourist companies of Mongolia also took part in the exhibition, they are National travel agency of Mongolia, NMP, LLC. A number of significant measures for the sphere of tourism on the republican level were held in the exhibition Tourism and holiday-making in Buryatia":
Inter-regional meeting of representatives of executive power and the organizations engaged in development of tourism in the Republic of Buryatia and Irkutsk oblast. The participants discussed questions of cooperation in the sphere of tourism: about development of the Federal program of development of tourism in the Baikal region, development of the cruise tourism on lake Baikal, visit to Irkutsk region and the Republic of Buryatia of the delegation of Association of the National Tourist Organizations of the countries accredited in Russia (ÀNÒÎR) in the summer of 2006.
The Republican meeting with representatives of municipal formations of the tourist regions of the Republic of Buryatia, where they listened to the reports: about programs of development of tourism and creation of the tourist and recreational special economic zone; the statistical account in tourism; preparation of investment projects; about experience of an advertising - information work of municipal formation.
Also within the framework of work of the exhibition there was a round table" with the topic Problems, prospects of professional training" in which teachers and students of educational institutions of the Republic of Buryatia preparing specialists in the sphere of tourism (ESSACA, ESSTU, BSU and also 7 vocational schools), representatives of districts of the republic and tourist firms took part. The round table passed in the regime of training. During discussions participants spoke about problems of present condition of professional tourist education in the republic and tried to determine needs of the tourist industry in the qualified personnel. The result of the work of the round table were suggestions to the Republican target program The development of tourism in the Republic of Buryatia in 2007 - 2010" (the subprogramme A professional training").
Representatives of municipal formations nearly from all corners of Buryatia took part in the work of the exhibition: Kurumkansky,Bichursky,Kyakhtinsky, Muysky,Okinsky,Zakamensky, Kabansky, Barguzinsky, Tarbagataysky, Severo-Baikalsky, the authorities of Ulan-Ude and the Olkhon district of the Irkutsk oblast.
The exhibition also included presentations of tourist opportunities of some districts of Buryatia: Zakamensky, Severo-Baikalsky, Barguzinsky, Okinsky and multimedia projects of the Central city library named after I.K.Kalashnikov. Participants of the exhibition were interested in the presentation of a new tourist suggestion. A new character - Lord of Baikal waters was introduced in the ethnographic-tourist symbolism. In the village of Dulan of the Kabansky district of the republic on the coast of Baikal lake a statue of a wooden old man 3,5 meter high was established, he was called Usan Lopson, that means Lord of waters". In Buryat shaman myths each water object, from a spring up to an ocean, has its own deity - patron. A powerful lord of waters, Usan Lopson, the Supreme patron of water, was born in the heavens and together with the wife and servants lives at the bottom of the Baikal. To ratify rights of the Owner of Waters of Baikal, shamen conducted a special ceremony !
of initiation. The creators of a new tourist brand are not going to stop on this achievement, they are planning to build an ethnographic village next to the Owner of Baikal. Such tourist objects, will undoubtedly, positively influence the development of tourism in the region.
Travel companies of the region presented the new tours, travelling programs around Russia and the world. The most popular directions among such tours were recognized China (the Yellow sea), Mongolia, Turkey, the countries of Europe.
The administration of the city of Ulan-Ude together with the History Museum carried out a quiz among schoolboys on knowledge of history of native city, which will be 340 years old on June 12. The winner received the permit to the children's sports camp in the vicinities of Ulan-Ude.
Many visitors of the exhibition wanted to have a rest near Lake Baikal or a warm lake Kotokel, situated not far from Baikal; in the resorts of the Tunkinskaya and Barguzinskaya valleys known for curable properties of their mineral sources. Children's health-improving rest, active kinds of rest - rafting down mountainous rivers, mountaneering and rock-climbing, extreme tourism were in great demand. The Federation of mountaneering and rock-climbing of RB established a climbing wall, where everybody could feel as a rock-climber.
On the whole the exhibition was a great success. On the results of the exhibition the best companies were awarded with diplomas and souvenirs in nominations: "For quantity and variety of tourist programs around Buryatia", For manufacture and promotion of souvenirs", For development of perspective kinds of tourism", For development of modern tourist complexes", For original design of the stand", For development of educational services of tourism", For active advertising of tourism of Buryatia", For active assistance in the development of tourism".
Organizers are sure, that the exhibition has made an appreciable contribution to the development of tourist business of Buryatia and the Baikal region and became a guarantee of successful work of tourist industry of Buryatia in a new tourist season.