Guido Sagone, the Honorary Consul of Italy's interview

Here I am again, after long interval. This interview should have been published long time ago, I must admit. Some things has changed, but in general Nizhny Novgorod still makes the same impression as 4 years ago.

26.08.10

Guido Sagone, the Honorary Consul of Italy interview
for Friendly Nizhny Novgorod

We were talking about Nizhny Novgorod's opportunities for foreign tourists' winter rest and vacations. Conversation started with skiing facilities, but in a few minutes the accent moved to a broader area.

Guido Sagone (GS): It is an unusual idea. Today we mostly see opposite situation, when Russians go to Italian ski resorts. In fact, I never met any Italian who would come to Nizhny Novgorod for vacations or holidays with the entertainment purposes. There are business people, but tourists... Why? The reason is simple - noone knows Nizhny Novgorod. When you talk about Russia, what towns come to mind? Moscow and Saint Petersburg, no doubt.

Had you ever met any article on the attractiveness of Nizhny Novgorod in one of European travelling magazines, travelling companies, TV or Internet, in one of European languages? No. What would you find if you'd make a search on LovelyPlanet.com with keywords 'Nizhny Novgorod'? Very scarce info.

I know a lot of Italians who are ski fonds. They go to mountainuous Italy, to Alps, where former Olympic resort Piemonte is situated, or others countries, and even if they put choice on Russia, they would go to Sochi - this is your today's brand, which everyone knows.

Your idea is good, but this is where joined efforts are needed. Government, local business, transport companies and mass media must work together to make Nizhny Novgorod a well-known and attractive place.

For many years we knew this town as Gorky and it was a 'closed' one. Until now it is known abroad as Gorky. When my friends ask me where I live and work and I answer 'Nizhny Novgorod' they wonder: 'Where is it?' And then I explain that Gorky was once renamed to Nizhny and they exclaim 'Ah, Gorky!'

So, the lack of information is the first problem of Nizhny Novgorod. The other one is bad communication. Even getting to Nizhny Novgorod from abroad is quite a hard task. Whatever kind of transport you pick, your choice is scarce. If you want to get to Moscow by train, you have to travel 6 to 8 hours. Airport is small and there is only one scheduled international company with 3 flights a week. And if a traveler from Italy or other country reaches the airport by Lufthansa flight at midnight, what would they do? He would want to get to his hotel immediately, but the airport doesn't have a 24 hours Tourist office with English speaking personnel, ready to suggest, guide, help and manage the different requests that might arise.

As for the tourism infrastructure, it's the same - it isn't fully developed. No hotels of luxury class. In some of the existing hotels, rooms are too small and definitely scarce. Small lobby, not enough restaurants, cafes with Internet and so on. All hotels in the town are just places to sleep - but not to spend holidays.

What's more, you need proper regulation. Foreign travelers gets to the city, and where should they go, for example, to buy local souvenirs - your famous Matryoska, for example? Where to go for cultural events, or religious, or sporting?

Look at it from the point of view of an Italian guy. He's just like you. All guys around the world want the same thing when they go somewhere on vacations - you would want the same thing. You would want to get off the plane, quickly and without problems get to the hotel - and relax, right? Your time of rest is short, it's the only life that you have, you wouldn't want to spend it for solving any problems or searching the information, would you?

When I get to any European country, take UK for example, I can understand everything. I see signs that read clearly where to get taxi, where to register for a plane or buy a ticket, all the orientation is clear. Nizhny Novgorod needs the same.

It's very pity because Nizhny Novgorod has great entertainment potential. It is not a modern "serial" city with square buildings all looking the same. It is an ancient town with rich history. There are lots of objects for sightseeing - first of them is Kremlin, of course. There are restaurants in profusion, night clubs, theatres, including even Opera Theatre! Walking along the Bol'shaya Pokrovskaya street, you have a feeling as if you are in an old European town of medium size. There are enough open-air restaurants with good kitchen, isn't that right? People do the same things in Europe - they walk with kids, sit in cafes, talk, go to cinemas, they get fun, don't they?

And what about religious traveling? You have lots of possibilities - monasteries, churches, that marvellous Diveevo, just for one.

Roman Nazarov (RN): Italians are mostly Catholic, right? Would they still be interested in visiting Orthodox places?

GS: Yes, they would. But what do you mean by the word "orthodox"? That means - most close to the original Christianity. Orthodox or Catholic - they are both parts of one Church. Icons, paintings, architecture reflect the same idea. Many European travelers visit Far East, India, and your  mentality is much closer.

That is what you should write about in your article, Roman. If you write about ski facilities only, you get in competition with a plenty of well known areas. It's a very narrow slant, and what advantages do you have? Not a one! You're going to loose. When you appeal to Lufthansa Magazin readers, you must suggest a plenty of possibilities, to make your offer as broad as it can be. It shouldn't be a travel only for ski fonds, but a mix of sport, sightseeing, culture.

RN: Let me ask another question. I know that in Western world there's a myth on unsafety of traveling in Russia. Your opinion as the consul is very important here.

GS: Really, they think so. But truth is that Nizhny Novgorod is more safe than many Western cities. Police and government work well here, I must say. I see mothers with baby-carts walking late in night in parks or streets - where else can you see it? People are friendly. Everyone seems to try to help you, if they see that you are a stranger.

I know lots of Italian businesspeople who come to city and leave it without any problems. For many years I haven't heard complaints. I even see an opposite situation. Europeans are afraid of Russian bureaucracy but they find lots of examples when clerks in hotels, companies and city offices do their best to skip this bureaucracy and help them. Of course, there are some difficulties when booked apartments occur to be smaller or less comfortable than promised, but this can happen everywhere, it is not the Nizhny's special problem.

RN: Do you think booking apartments via Internet is safe?

GS: Surprisingly, yes. There was not a single case of troubles.

And this safety is a real asset of Nizhny.

Nizhny Novgorod is a very safe and quite cheap. Low prices are another asset of Nizhny Novgorod. You know it is popular in Western countries to rent a little cottage on vacations. So, I know some Italians who had cottage rented in Nizhny Novgorod for thousand euro for two weeks or even longer.

RN: Is it cheap or expensive?

GS: It is very cheap! Where in Europe can you find it? And about transport, you can pay hundred euro and taxi will be at your service all day. This is a curious situation, because Nizhny Novgorod is quite close to Moscow, with the second's high prices. But communication is bad, so may be, it is too far. How do you think - is it near or far from Moscow?

RN: In my opinion, too near and too far at the same time.

GS: I think, you are right. It is too near, because Moscow had cannibalized everything - people, money - but too far, so visitors to Moscow don't include Nizhny Novgorod into their trip route. In Nizhny Novgorod tourists are rare guests. May be, when there will be hords every day, prices will rise and all bad things will appear, too, but now Nizhny is very safe and cheap.

What attracts people in Moscow? There are possibilities for everyone: plenty of hotels with wide range of prices, cinemas, theatres, fitness, sightseeing. For young singles and couples, for families with a child or children, retired people - for everyone. As a matter of fact, Nizhny Novgorod has all it, too, and much cheaper. But none knows it, as I have said. What is needed is a good international airport with six to seven international airlines, good regulation and some hotels.

Sometimes people in government think too much about factories and don't consider that tourism could be a primary source of income. But with Nizhny's resources, like rich uncontaminated environment, forests and rivers, all the museums, theatres and so on, it might give the same or even larger income.

RN: Would it be useful to put into my article a piece dedicated to investment potential of Nizhny Novgorod?

GS: I think, no. Foreign investors may come, but not now. Now there are no tourists and they wouldn't appear if you can't offer a whole pack: information, good service, regulation. Administration and local business have to do it yet. They should build a business environment, so to say. We can say that the scope is needed to be created.

RN: How do you estimate as a foreigner, is there sufficient English speakinglocal personnel?

GS: University of Nizhny Novgorod maintains good language center, and I find enough people with excellent speaking of English, Italian or other languages - that is not a problem. The problem is that hotels hire people that speak only Russian; probably, they are cheaper. Volna is the only hotel where everyone speaks English.

But this is not Europe, where all languages are alike. When I travel, I can read signs, I can understand people even if I don't know language. In Russia, letters are not the same, words are different, and to understand what is said or written is practically impossible for holidays travelers. Any tourist will definitely need a good guide, you must give some advices on this in your article.

RN: And what do you think, resorts out of city like Chaika, Uzola, Ildorf - are they too much lower than common European level?

GS: No, they are better than hotels. They are modern, having been built at the time when Russian builders could see European resorts and make alike. But it is not enough for Nizhny Novgorod to be attractive. Yes, you can grab attention of those who are interested in active relaxation. And here you can even compete with your Sochi - take your ski trampoline that is situated right in the center of the city? But who knows about it or how to rent it? Take another example, not far from trampoline. I have been to a boat station on Volga with a harbour and the rowing sports school.

RN: You mean Grebnoy Kanal?

GS: Yes. They offer an old boat for trips on the river. It is amazing for excursions, fishing and more. Why not change it for a new modern boat? There is a huge number of fishers and hunters in Europe. This is the kind of people who go around the world and spend some thousand euros in just two days. They like to go to new places, so Nizhny Novgorod can be one of them.

Again, your offer must be as broad as possible. Readers of inflight magazines are very different people, and you must provide interest for everyone. You have to give sporting facilities, good sightseeing, active outdoors, Art Museum, Opera Theatre to go with children etc.

RN: Considering retired people, do you think that medical resources like mineral waters or mud baths are interesting to concern in the article?

GS: There are lots of people who pay big money at healing facilities. And Nizhny Novgorod region has huge potential. But only the potential, because resorts are not first-class, like hotels. Healing combined with sightseeing, cultural and religious program is a very attractive proposition, but the same simple question like transport, regulation and hotels must be solved beforehand. Government, hoteliers, transport companies, medical structures and all other participants must work together, including mass media and you. Without their support you can attract first tourists, but what happens if they are disappointed? There is a risk of negative effect out of your good intention.

Do research properly, work with travelling offices, hotels and resorts, and you will put it right. Your idea is good, Roman, and I wish you good luck with it.

...There were some more things we'd discussed with Guido, not included in the final version. I hope to get back to them later, in details.

PS: If you think this article was helpful, please post a comment. I need your feedback to make a decision on new themes.