Meeting of the State Hermitage Director and President of the Museum Union of Russia Mikhail Piotrovsky and Vice-President of the Russian Union of Tourist Industry Sergei Korneev

On 24 March, 2009 a meeting was held between of the State Hermitage director and president of the Museum Union of Russia Mikhail Piotrovsky and vice-president of the Russian Tourist Industry Union Sergei Korneev. They discussed the cooperation of the museum and tourist organisations.

Taking into account the cordial business relations between the State Hermitage and the Russian Union of Tourist Industry, as well as the museum's own investment into developing the tourist industry in St. Petersburg, the State Hermitage decided to keep the last year's prices for tourist organisations working with foreign tourists until 1 August. In 2008 the agreed entrance fee for tourist companies was 350 roubles, and the companies that brought more than 10,000 tourists to the museum and actively participated in special programmes the price was set at 320 roubles.

The parties agreed that the joint work of the museum and tourist companies should be reviewed not annually but every quarter, as was stated in the previous press-release. During the review the following "fair practice" criteria were offered for the museum partners: observation of the museum visit schedule by tourist groups, compliance with tourist bus parking rules, use of new technology that supports the museum ecology (the "RadioGuide" system). Taking into consideration the efforts of the tourist companies to increase the share of the cultural component in the tourist services package offered, the State Hermitage considers it possible to give tourists an opportunity visit the main expositions and the General Staff building during one day for the price of the entrance ticket to the State Hermitage.

In conclusion Mikhail Piotrovsky remarked, "The State Hermitage hopes that this gesture will help both parties to overcome the crisis in the tourist industry. We have to wait until August to see if it works."