Lonely Planet Recommends Ukraine As Your 2012 Tourist Destination

KIEV, Ukraine -- The reputable British tourist guide Lonely Planet chose Ukraine as one of the top three tourist destinations for 2012. Uganda and Burma occupy the first two spots of the list.

Ukraine, the second runner-up, is referred to as the great unknown of Europe.

Lonely Planet argues that people don't know much about Ukraine and tend to make up stereotypes to fill in the gaps in their knowledge.

The guide is convinced that the country has plenty to offer for tourists.

Lonely Planet begins the story on Ukraine with a joke: "Wide-scale counter-espionage? No, not even in Odessa. Communist grime everywhere you look?

One glimpse of glorious Old Town Kiev or the wildlife on unspoiled Crimean shores will set you straight. Cheap beer? You bet: it's cheaper than water." And on the story goes.

The description of Ukraine by Lonely Planet travelers informs the reader about the upcoming European football championship - EURO-2012.

The authors believe that the championship will offer Ukraine a chance to attract the "unprecedented numbers of visitors".

The seasoned explorers of Lonely Planet could not ignore one of the most famous, if not tragic, tourist attractions of Ukraine - Chernobyl.

The site of one of the greatest nuclear disasters of all times is often the only thing foreigners can think of when asked about what they knew about the country.

Besides Uganda, Burma, and Ukraine, the top ten places to go and things to do all around the world include Jordan, Denmark, Bhutan, Cuba, New Caledonia, Taiwan, and Switzerland.

The new book prepared by Lonely Planet experts Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2012 contains travel inspiration and tips for the upcoming year.

Lonely Planet is the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world.

According to The Independent (UK), Lonely Planet was founded in 1972 by two British travelers - Tony and Maureen Wheeler - and is based in Melbourne's western suburbs.

The Wheelers arrived to Australia having travelled Asia.

They began with publishing a guide to South-East Asia, which they managed to explore with little money in their pockets.

Since then the company has turned into the largest travel guide publisher in the world, reports The Independent.

Ukrainian border services are ready to handle large numbers of tourists

The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service says it is ready for a big increase in the number of people crossing the state border, and that it can now handle over 400,000 people per day.

"Today we're ready for an increase in flows [of travelers]," Pavlo Shysholin, the first deputy head of the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service, said in an interview with the Prykordonnyk Ukrainy [Border Guard of Ukraine] newspaper.

"We've registered only a few cases this year of the number of people crossing the Ukrainian border per day exceeding 300,000. We're ready to handle over 400,000 or even more every day."

He outlined the trends seen this year: The number of people registered at checkpoints grew by 9%, while the number of vehicles increased by 8% in the first half of 2011 compared to the same period last year. Moreover, the number of Russian and Moldovan citizens entering Ukraine has increased this year.

He also said the Belarusian State Border Guard Committee has forecast that the number of Belarusian tourists vacationing in Crimea this holiday season will grow by 30%, with the peak numbers expected in August and September.

"We're prepared for this today. We've met with our Belarusian colleges and developed a standard procedure for handling organized groups, mainly at the Novi Yarylovychi checkpoint, which is located on the main route of travel. We've increased the number of officers there, set up Potik-A mobile border control complexes, and proposed to our Belarusian colleges that the entire checkpoint network be used to handle tourists," Shysholin said.

Yeti to entice tourists to Siberia

Tales of Yetis are wafting from Russia’s remote parts. Locals in the rugged region of Kemerevo say the mysterious creature’s numbers have doubled, and claims of sightings are attracting official interest.

But more sightings of a creature hitherto believed to exist in the Himalayas could mean nothing more exciting than more interest in attracting tourists, as the area boasts a reasonable tourist infrastructure and an interest in return on its investment.

The growing numbers have locals on the lookout and Kemerovo Region governor Aman Tuleyev has taken defensive measures against unwanted intruders, Moskovsky Komsomolets reported on Tuesday.

However, a press release cited by the newspaper could not be traced on the regional authorities' website.

“The strange creature, which looked like a huge man, tried several times to get out of the water and to stand up on both feet, but dropped into the water each time and howled,” a spokesperson for the Tashtagol district in Kemerovo region told Itar-Tass earlier this year. “The hunters stood frozen… He threw the creature the dry trunk of a young aspen tree, the creature clutched to it and crawled to the bank.”

Deputies of the Kuzbass Regional Council took themselves to a cave in southern Kuzbass last year, a place where local legend has it that the creature be found. It was possibly a step to attract tourists.

Moscow Ethnology and Antrhopology Institute Anthropology department head Dr. Sergei Vasiliev said that Bigfoot probably does not exist as scientists have never found any bodies, and that any populations would be recorded.

PR and marketing specialists dismissed press reports about finding Bigfoot as fodder for gullible tourists. The visit of MPs to the cave was probably connected with the fact that the cave in question was “an emerging tourist destination” said Regional Council member Nikolai Shatilov.

He said that they should consider developing tourism in the region without creating myths and legends, and restrictions on the use of snowmobiles should be implemented. He also called for development of the areas with dense indigenous populations.

Creating a non-existant tourist attraction has a long pedigree. Visitors to Verona, Italy, have the chance to see Juliet's Balcony, inspired by the famous scene in Shakepeare's drama "Romeo and Juliet".

Meanwhile the Scottish city of Inverness has traded heavily on the nearby Loch Ness Monster to boost its tourist trade in the face of stiff competition from the natural beauty of the western Highlands.

Even here in Moscow, the Pushkin Gallery boasts a fine collection of ancient artefacts originally thought to be from Troy - though further archaeological research has cast doubt on whether the finds have any links to the likes of Achilles and friends.

Cabinet approves agreement with Cyprus on cooperation on tourism

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved an agreement with Cyprus on cooperation on tourism.

The press service of the Cabinet of Ministers announced this in a statement.

The agreement was signed in Nicosia (Cyprus) on June 26, 2009.

Under the agreement, the two countries will facilitate creation of cultural and information centers for studying foreign languages and culture on their territories and promote exchanges in the areas of drama, opera, ballet, music, and circus.

The two countries will also support organization of exhibitions and the performances of artistic collectives, organize "Cinema Weeks," and exchange of films.

They will also open each others' official tourism offices on their territories, develop various types and forms of tourism, create conditions for attracting investments, and facilitate simplification of formalities related to the movement of tourists between the two countries.

As Ukrainian News earlier reported, approval of the agreement by the Cabinet of Ministers is a condition for its introduction.

The document will come into effect after both countries perform the relevant domestic procedures and notify each other.

Israel, Ukraine Now Visa Free

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Israel and Ukraine signed an agreement canceling visas between the two countries.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Lieberman and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko on Wednesday signed a reciprocal visa cancellation agreement in Jerusalem.

The agreement, which means that Israelis and Ukrainians do not need visas to visit the other country, is "an expression of the good and stable relationship" between the two countries, Lieberman said.

It is the second such agreement Israel has signed. Israel and Russia have had a visa-free agreement for more than a year.

The Shas Party, a member of the coalition government, objected to the agreement, saying it would increase crime and prostitution.

If you open it, they will come to Russia

Yesterday saw a record number of foreign tourists arrive in St. Petersburg on cruise ships – all benefitting from an easing of visa rules.

Five liners docked at the city’s port on Tuesday, disembarking just over 10,000 passengers eager to tour the Hermitage, sail the canals and party into the white nights.

It stems from the decision in May 2009 to open up seven Russian ports to visa-free travelers for three days.

Since then ferry traffic to Russia has doubled and – air arrivals in the Northern Capital could soon enjoy the same perks.

Tourism experts have welcomed the scheme, which many want to see rolled out across the rest of Russia to stimulate foreign interest in the country.

But there are still question marks about how much Russia should open up while Europe keeps its doors closed.

Earlier this year, HVS Hospitality Services managing director Tatyana Veller said: “To really make progress we need to ease the heavy visa process – but that has to be a two-way process.

“If Europe makes it easier for us, we can make it easier for them.”

But tourists taking advantage of the chance to cruise around Petersburg are in no doubt.

“We really liked it, and we'd love to see more of Russia if it wasn't so difficult,” Irene Bainbridge informed, after visiting on a Baltic cruise earlier this year. “It's a fascinating place and we had a great trip but I don't really understand why there has to be so much paperwork to visit Moscow.”

Elsewhere in the world, at least, there are signs that Russia is relaxing its tourist visa regime. As part of a burgeoning alliance with Latin America, restrictions on travel between Russia and Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia have been eased.

The political implications of making allies in a traditional US sphere of influence – at a time when the west is accused of meddling in the former USSR – are obvious.

And as the country prepares its bid to host the 2018 World Cup it seems likely that a further relaxation will follow to combat the huge numbers of fans expected to want to watch the tournament.

Visa-Free Travel From Ukraine

TEL AVIV, Israel -- The cabinet on Sunday approved a proposal by the foreign and tourism ministers to cancel the mutual tourist visa requirement between Israel and Ukraine
The plan, which has been discussed for a year, is expected to raise the numbers of tourists from the Ukraine.

At the meeting, Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov argued for the change, noting that the Tourism Ministry has been promoting tourism in the Ukrainian market for several years.

However, obtaining a tourist visa in a procedure that is both cumbersome and protracted, he said, and prevents the realization of the tourism potential from the Ukraine to Israel.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed his support for the visa cancellation and noted that the relevant ministries should work implement it. The visa cancellation will go into effect after an agreement is signed by both countries’ foreign ministers subsequent cabinet ratification.

“Given that with every 100,000 additional tourists, about 4,000 new jobs are created and about $200 million injected into the economy, this is a decision with important economic and social implications for the economy,” said Meseznikov.

“Russian tourism alone has already created thousands of new jobs and brought in hundreds of millions of dollars into the Israeli economy since the cancellation of the visa requirement in October 2008.”

In 2009 73,500 people visited Israel from the Ukraine.

According to Tourism Ministry estimates, the number would reach 200,000 a year once the visa requirement is dropped.

The cancellation of visas for Russians produced a significant increase in incoming tourists, from about 193,500 in 2007 to 402,000 in 2009.

The Tourism Ministry sees countries from the former Soviet Union, in particular Russia and the Ukraine, as having great potential for incoming tourism.

Before the visa requirement from Russia was canceled, organized tour groups from Russia and Eastern Europe were allowed to visit Israel for one day, a ministry spokeswoman explained.

This option still exists today, but now, having been exposed to Israel, it is easier for these day-trippers to come back for a longer visit.

The cabinet decision was greeted warmly by most local tourism operators.

“The cancellation of visa requirements from Ukrainian tourists who wish to visit Israel will contribute to the development of incoming tourism to Israel,” read a statement from the Incoming Tour Operators Association.

“This decision will enable the realization of the Ukrainian tourist potential for travel, vacations and pilgrimages.”

Not everyone was impressed by the decision, however. Joseph Fischer, owner and executive board member of IDB Tourism, said that the decision was at heart a political one and not an economic one and that the prospects of Ukrainian tourism are over-hyped.

“The tourism minister is a man with a clear political agenda,” said Fischer. “As a high-ranking figure in Israel Beiteinu, the minister is committed to his constituents.

By promoting tourism, he is actually assisting Ukrainian immigrants to Israel to go home on visits without having to pay for visas.”

Fisher said that Ukraine, which was hard hit by the global economic crisis, is not a lucrative market for the Israeli tourism sector and that most of the Ukrainian visitors who come to Israel, do so on day trips, without leaving their money behind in Israeli hotels and shops.

“I would urge the minister to divert his attention to markets which offer quality tourism potential to Israel,” said Fischer.

Tourists head back to Moscow

Tourists are heading back to Moscow according to the city’s officials – but not everyone is convinced.

Figures released by Moscow’s Committee for Tourism suggest as many as 4.1 million guests could come to the city this year – a 2-3 per cent increase on pre-crisis levels.

But in the industry many feel that there is plenty to do before Russian tourism can catch up with other countries.

Neil McGowan, of tour operator “The Russia Experience”, urged Russia to look at neighbouring Estonia and Ukraine if it really wanted to cash in on the tourist dollar.

“Russia is still locked into believing that Lord & Lady Westerner live in a 52-bedroom mansion with indentured servants and will only venture abroad if they can stay at the Hôtel de Swank with a flat-screen dvd-player in the Jacuzzi,” he told The Moscow News. “More hotels are needed, especially in the two and three star sector.

“They really need to look next door to Tallinn where Russia is being trumped mercilessly on UK-originating tourism.

“I wish Russia would wake up to the foreign revenue potential of incoming tourism, but they seem unbothered by it – it’s the Old Kent Road of the monopoly board here, but a few simple tweaks could turn that around and cost nothing.

“Copying the Ukrainian policy on a no-visa-policy for trips up to 3-4 weeks would be a sea-change, and they can do it - they already allow cruise passengers into St. Petersburg (only) visa-free for 48 hours.”

Polina Frolova, of IFK Hotel Management, suggested that Moscow’s main focus remained business travel, despite the success of recent large-scale events such as the 2008 UEFA Champions League final and the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest.

“I have to say Moscow isn’t, and never has been a tourist city – despite the fact that there are so many things to see here,” she said. “Neither Eurovision nor the Champions League had a noticeable effect on the flow of tourists. Several thousand of people from abroad come to Moscow for a few days for a huge event but that’s only small percentage of our total visitor numbers.

“I’m sure that tourism will increase when visa legislation becomes easier for visitors to negotiate, but first of all Moscow is a city of business travel.”

She attributed more visitors to a gradual improvement in the global business climate rather than any tourist attractions.

Grigory Antyufeyev, of Moscow’s Tourism Committee, said that the bulk of the city’s tourist trade came from western Europe and the USA, though China had recently joined the “top seven” nations.

He advised a traditional tour of the city for foreign visitors: “I think the old routes are the best ones: the Church of Christ the Saviour, Tsaritsyno Park, the Kremlin. Moscow has an enormous number of sites,” he said, while also picking out the unique charms of the Luzhniki sports complex as an alternative.

And he added that despite the terrorist attacks earlier this year, there was no underlying threat to visitors.

“That phenomenon was temporary and now the numbers are increasing,” he added.

A tale of two Tsarinas

Behind every great man is a great woman - but behind 18th century Russia there were two. Peter the Great's daughter Elizabeth and Catherine the Great ruled Russia for 55 years between them, from 1741 to 1796, presiding over a golden age of cultural enlightenment and imperial expansion. While St. Petersburg was the capital of Imperial Russia, their era left its mark on Moscow - and this walk takes in some of the spectacular highlights of their age.

The 19th century playwright Alexander Griboyedov greets passengers leaving Chistiye Prudy metro station. Walk past him along the boulevard and pond, and turn left into Ulitsa Pokrovka.

The baroque white and turquoise palace on the corner of the road was built in the 1760s. It shows the influence of Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the architect of the Winter Palace in St Petersburg, whose work the Empress Elizabeth loved.

Turn right into Barashevsky Pereulok to visit the lovely, late seventeenth century Church of the Presentation. The nondescript pinkish building on the left was once another church, the ‘Resurrection in Barashakh'. Empress Elizabeth and Alexei Razumovsky, a tuneful Cossack, are thought to have married here secretly in November 1742.

Elizabeth had heard him singing at the court chapel 10 years earlier and asked to meet him. When, after Elizabeth's death, Catherine sent an envoy to check the marriage certificate, Razumovsky allegedly threw it into the fire and said: "Papers and honours mean nothing to me. I was always a humble servant and devoted admirer of her highness."

Head along Pokrovka. If it's cold, look out for the Union of Artists at No. 37, whose warm, free exhibition room might tide you over until the next church. Cross under the garden ring. The mid-18th century pink and gold church, straight ahead on Staraya Basmannaya Ulitsa combines traditional Russian and western architectural forms. The architect was Dmitry Ukhtomsky, who also built the tall bell-tower in the famous monastery at Sergiyev Posad. Nikita Demidov, of the Demidov iron and steel dynasty, built his house behind the church, on Gorokhovsky Pereulok.

Turn right again into Maly Demidovsky Pereulok, named after the iron man and left into Ulitsa Kazakova, named after the architect, Matvei Kazakov, who designed the Demidov house.
An early 19th century palace, slowly being restored, surrounds a courtyard on the right. This huge house, which belonged to Razumovsky's nephew, has become sadly derelict in recent years. Razumovsky (junior) was part of Catherine the Great's noble government. He spent a million roubles on oak logs and imported mirrors for his mansion and the park was once a glorious tribute to his botanical passions. In the Soviet era, the building belonged to the Institute of Physical Culture, passing in 1999 to the Academy of Arts. At the end of the road is another masterpiece by Kazakov. The ‘Church of the Resurrection in the Pea fields' recalls the area's 18th century landscape, rolling arable farmland punctuated by domed churches, tiered bell towers and elegant mansions. Turn left into Tokmakov Pereulok, admiring the blue, 19th century house at the next crossroads.

Walk right round the back of dilapidated block 13-15 to admire the Art Nouveau façade hidden behind it. This Resurrection Church, built by Ilya Bondarenko, is one of the most unusual buildings in Moscow. The church belongs to the old believers' community and is still under restoration, but the icon-carrying angels seem to float above the scaffolding. Return to Tokmakov Pereulok and turn right onto Staraya Basmannaya Ulitsa again. The wooden house at No. 36 belonged to Alexander Pushkin's uncle and there is talk of turning it into a museum. By this time, you might fancy Molly Malone's, the Irish pub next door.

The columned mansion, just beyond the next crossroads, was home to Alexei Musin-Pushkin, no relation to the poet, but with his own place in Russia's cultural history. He was a historian, archaeologist and another of Catherine's noble supporters. As president of the Academy of Arts and son of the Monasteries' Administrator, he had access to rare manuscripts in forgotten church treasuries. He is famous for re-discovering and publishing the 12th century "Song of Igor's Campaign". Kazakov designed the house in 1780. His work is evident in the domed colonnade round the side. The fire of 1812 partly destroyed the mansion, together with the original manuscript of the "Song of Igor", which Musin-Pushkin had already transcribed for Catherine the Great. Further along Spartakovskaya Ulitsa there is a statue of the revolutionary Nikolai Bauman, who has given his name to the whole area. There are further lovely 18th century mansions lining the garden around it, but the unmissable landmark is the aquamarine Epiphany (or "Yelokhovsky") Cathedral. The impressive 19th century edifice still has painted decoration outside, the original rococo iconostasis inside and a very active congregation. Pushkin, the poet, born around the corner, was baptised here.

Across the road from the Cathedral a shopping arcade leads to the metro, though the area - including a bust marking Pushkin's birthplace - repays further exploration if you have more energy.

Foreign visitors fall by one-fifth in Moscow

The number of foreign tourists visiting Moscow has dropped 19 per cent in the first quarter of 2009 compared with the same period last year as the financial crisis takes hold, the city's tourist head said on Wednesday.
Grigory Antyufeyev said last year 4.1 million foreigners visited Moscow, 2 per cent higher than in 2007. However, he said the consequences of the global financial crisis had started to be felt by Russia's tourist industry.
"Foreign tourism has dropped by 19 per cent in comparison to the first quarter of 2008. We can only guess at what the final annual results will be," Antyufeyev said.
The tourist head said that Moscow was most popular among German tourists with Americans in second place.
In 2008, 296,858 German tourists visited Moscow, followed by 151,296 U.S. visitors with Great Britain in third place at 143,757.
Moscow tourism has been steadily increasing since 1999 when nearly 1.5 million foreigners visited the capital, in 2002 this figure reached just over 2 million.

Perm region: Province of the North

Although Perm by itself has little unique to offer for an experienced tourist, the region is still a breath of fresh air. A distant and rather cold region, it was poorly explored even by the beginning of the 20th century. Now, it has lots of natural and man-made treasures to show.
About 100 km away from Perm, around the town of Kungur, is an ice cave, one of the largest in the world. The icy underworld presents tourists about 1.5 km of tourist friendly paths, but take warm clothes as it is always cold inside. The cave has 48 grottos and more than 60 lakes. In 1914, the cave became popular among tourists. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was even visited by Princess Louise of Battenberg (the Queen of Sweden in 1950-1965) who injured her leg in one of the grottos, which is now called Dame's Tears.
Today, tourists visit ice grottos of different nicknames, like Brilliant, Polar, Sea Bottom. The largest, "Giant," is over 30 meters high and 100 meters wide. In 1999, a fir tree was brought to the grotto and thanks to a consistent temperature and dampness it is still going strong. Moreover, female needles do not seem to age; legend has it that people can enjoy the cave's health benefits as well.
Stalactites and stalagmites are scattered all about the cave. The deepest grotto (80 meters below the top of the mountain), Meteor, was given its name due to a rockslide that resembles a large comet against stone ceiling background.
Another feature of the grotto is the absolute darkness that occurs when the lights are switched off.
Khlebnikov grotto (named after the first keeper of the cave) boasts of an exotic species of prawns that thrive in an underground lake. They are white and have no sense of sight after thousands of years spent in absolute darkness.
Guided tours into the cave last about 2 hours. The best time to visit the cave is certainly in winter when its ice looks to the best.
The town of Kungur can be interesting as an old former merchant place which used to be one of the centers of trade in the Russian North. Strolling along the streets note former luxurious shops, reach wooden houses and churches. Kungur used to have its own Kremlin but with years as the town grew more and more provincial it was gone.
About 50 km to the West of Kungur there is another landmark, Belogorodsky Monastery in the village of Belaya Gora (White Mountain). Topping a huge hill the monastery is worth visiting if only for the view of the picturesque landscape. Now the monastery is under slow reconstruction after the Soviet years of oblivion.
The most impressive building of the monastery complex is its Kresto­vo­sdvizhensky Cathedral, the 7th largest in Russia and quite comparable in size with Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior. But the amazing structure is situyated high on a pedestal in the middle of nowhere with only woods and hills surrounding it.
Those interested in traditions and the way of life of the Russian North are advised to visit the village of Khokhlovka, which is actually a museum of traditional wooden architecture in the open air. It lies about 40 km northwards of Perm. Situating in a picturesque place the museum present a dozen of traditional houses and churches collected from different spots of the region and reconstructed there presenting not only the architecture but also showing interiors and way of life. Peasants' traditional houses, wooden churches of the North (which are quite different from the churches of the heartland), shops, a guard house, a mill, even a small fire tower, all are assembled in one place and form a village that could really have existed in the 18th or 19th century.
Finally, the last peculiar place to visit when you happen to have a day off in Perm is the so called Perm 36, the former prison camp ITK-6 and now the Museum of Gulag. It is situated 250 km away from Perm in Kutchino village and used to be an ordinary typical distant prison keeping a thousand people behind the bars. Abandoned in the last Soviet years it stood dilapidated and useless until the middle the 1990s when it was decided to turn it into a museum which opened for the public in 1996 and is under development and reconstruction up to now. It is very special, takes considerable time to reach and is recommended to those interested in Gulag life, Soviet time or particularly curious persons.
While the gems of Perm are sometimes found below the surface, the effort pays off.
TRAVEL TIPS
The starting point for all travels here is Perm which is easily reached by regular flights from both Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo. The fastest way to reach all the spots is by bus from the central bus station (Revolutsii ulitsa, 68) (see for details ).
It is recommended to spend a night in Kungur and stop at Stalagmit hotel: see
Perm Hotels are presented at:
But be sure to give them a call to check whether the price is right and rooms are available.
Meals.
In Kungur:
Yermak restaurant - Karl Marx Ulitsa, 11.
Tri medveda (Three bears) restaurant near the bridge across the Sylva river
In Perm:
The centre offers plenty of places. Choose the one you like near the so-called esplanade.
Taste Perm's pelmeni which are claimed by the locals to be their specialty.