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Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights

ISSN : 2514-9792

Article publication date: 31 January 2022

Issue publication date: 4 September 2023

Since the first moment of the pandemic, national and international travel restrictions are in place to reduce human mobility. This actual situation makes the tourism industry one of the areas most affected by the pandemic. Many microeconomic factors (households and firms) were adversely affected by the pandemic, and this situation brought about macroeconomic contraction. Naturally, governments seek to sustain production and employment by offering financial packages to reduce the negative economic effects of the pandemic. Given such information, the study aims to examine the financial policies implemented by countries to support the tourism industry during the pandemic period.

Design/methodology/approach

Content analysis, which is a technique of qualitative research method, was applied in the analysis process of the data. Assessments were made based on data published by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on the financial and monetary policies implemented by countries to support the tourism industry. The data were analyzed using the MAXQDA qualitative analysis program.

According to the results of the study, countries support the tourism industry financially in terms of credit and liquidity. Also, tourism investments are encouraged by tax breaks and low interest rates.

Originality/value

It is aimed to determine what issues the financial and monetary policies published by the UNWTO focus on to solve the problems in the tourism sector. In this way, it is thought that the study will reveal the problems experienced by tourism enterprises during the pandemic period with a holistic perspective.

• Fiscal policies
• Monetary policies
• Tourism industry

Şengel, Ü. , Işkın, M. , Çevrimkaya, M. and Genç, G. (2023), "Fiscal and monetary policies supporting the tourism industry during COVID-19", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights , Vol. 6 No. 4, pp. 1485-1501. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0209

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Power and Politics in Tourism Policy and Planning in the Philippines

• First Online: 05 April 2018

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• Edieser D. Dela Santa 7  

Part of the book series: Perspectives on Asian Tourism ((PAT))

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The objective of the chapter is to examine power and politics as factors that constrain tourism policy and planning in the country. It draws from emerging research and illustrative cases on the governance of Philippine tourism. The starting point of the analysis is the comparative performance of the tourism industry and the implementation of the Philippine Tourism Act of 2009. The stated goal of the Tourism Act is to make tourism an engine of economic growth and cultural affirmation. This is supposed to be achieved through a range of programs and projects including the design and implementation of a mandatory tourism accreditation system and the facilitation of tourism investments.

However, the implementation of these programs is not happening as envisioned. Indicators show that accreditation levels have remained below one-fourth of the total number of registered tourism businesses. In addition, after 6 years of inaction, the Bureau of Internal Revenue has only recently announced the rules granting fiscal incentives for tourism investments, thus wasting time and precious opportunities to develop tourism infrastructure.

This chapter examines some of the structural constraints, rooted in the country’s history as a traditional society, that have hindered the implementation of the abovementioned policies and plans. Power and politics and how these are manifested in destabilizing ways, such as in regime changes, displays of impunity, and turfism, are the main foci. The chapter highlights observations that unless the oppressiveness of these factors is mitigated, the context of Philippine tourism policy and planning will remain very challenging.

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D. Dela Santa, E. (2018). Power and Politics in Tourism Policy and Planning in the Philippines. In: Wang, Y., Shakeela, A., Kwek, A., Khoo-Lattimore, C. (eds) Managing Asian Destinations. Perspectives on Asian Tourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8426-3_2

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Home > Publications > EBH > The Impact of State Incentivized Tourism Development

The Impact of State Incentivized Tourism Development

Introduction

The amount of tourism infrastructure throughout the U.S. is continuing to grow as developers are establishing new and exciting attractions to the benefit of their state and local communities. Broad-based development incentives are commonplace for many state economic development departments. Through tourism specific legislation, there are also many specific economic development incentives that target the tourism industry. Economic incentives are vehicles utilized by states to encourage growth and development within their borders. More and more states recognize the fiscal and economic benefits that result when promoting growth in tourism infrastructure.

Types of State Tourism Incentives

To stimulate expansion of a state’s tourism industry, tourism development initiatives by state legislators have resulted in several states providing these incentives without detriment or risk to the public. The most common form of tourism incentive found at the state level includes the use of state sales tax reimbursements. Under this model, the developer has the ability to recover a certain percentage of their development costs over a specified time frame, typically 10 years. The developer is reimbursed on an annual basis the state sales tax that is paid by visitors whom visit the attraction. The amounts are capped and the term is defined. The public is not at risk, as the benefit to the developer is received after the attraction is up and running. Other tourism incentives found in more narrowly-defined incentive programs include state income tax credits for employees of tourist attractions, use of sales tax increment financing (TIF) to finance bonds issued in connection with construction and development of tourist related attractions, short-term financial assistance programs, interim financing programs, and grants.

State Tourism Legislation

In 1996, the state of Kentucky enacted the Kentucky Tourism Development Act. Known as the KTDA, this economic incentive program is the most aggressive tourism incentive program within the U.S. as it boasts 17 completed projects since its inception. The KTDA legislation specifically addresses a pro-growth attitude toward tourism development at the state level by providing incentives for private developers to create or add to existing tourism attractions that benefit the state’s tourism industry. The incentive vehicle for the KTDA is a state sales tax reimbursement. State programs such as the Arkansas Tourism Development Act, The Colorado Regional Tourism Act, Vision Iowa’s CAT program, and others use a variety of methods including TIFs and grants to incentivize tourism development. Several states including Georgia and Pennsylvania are currently in the process of developing or modifying their own legislation for incentivizing tourism developments. Georgia is in the process of creating the Georgia Tourism Development Act, and Pennsylvania has pending legislation to establish the Pennsylvania Tourism Commission, which would replace their existing travel and tourism act.

Through our research and interviews with economic and tourism officials, there are key characteristics of tourism incentive models that appear in much of the enacted tourism legislation. These key characteristics include performance based incentives, defined minimum project costs, and specifics regarding qualifying locations and types of attractions. Many use the word “destination” when defining tourist project locations. Some types of project definitions are purposely broad, such as Kentucky’s “entertainment destination center,” and Colorado’s Regional Tourism Project of an “extraordinary and unique nature”, while others are very narrow as tying qualifying tourism uses to their specific NAICS codes.

While project definitions are a key component, the application process for qualifying projects typically involves preliminary and final approval on either side of the developer’s requirement to provide market and feasibility studies. These studies help to identify the number of outside visitors to be attracted to the development, in order that minimum standards are met. Positive fiscal impact is mandated in order to move forward. The project’s fiscal impact is analyzed through an economic impact study. As with most application processes, there is a certain flexibility that needs to be built-in to tourism legislation that allows latitude for some interpretation and discretion as the industry evolves and new and different attractions come into existence.

State Benefits – Order Of Magnitude

How well does tourism incentive legislation perform? We have profiled the performance of Kentucky’s Tourism Development Act from its inception in 1996. Kentucky’s tourism incentives are gained through an annual sales tax reimbursement. As of May, 2012 the program has approved applications for a total of 24 tourism-related projects, with 17 of them coming to fruition. Of the 24 projects, four were granted final approval, but were never built, one received preliminary approval, but did not finish the required application process, and one was rejected due to failure to meet minimum requirements. One project is currently in the application process. The following table shows the number of projects by preliminary approval year, the total construction costs, the eligible refund, the total fiscal impact, and the total economic impact of only existing projects.

The table reveals approximately $850 million worth of tourism attractions constructed in Kentucky since the inception of such legislation. In order to generate this amount of infrastructure, the state has committed to a potential reimbursement of approximately $200 million over a ten-year period in sales tax reimbursements. However, the net positive fiscal impact to the state is calculated between $230 million up to $310 million, with a total economic impact of more than $5.1 billion in both direct and indirect impacts. These projects range from the Kentucky Speedway development in Sparta, to new hotel construction adjacent to the convention center in Owensboro.

The existence of the Kentucky Tourism Development Act attests that a state with the ability to incentivize tourism infrastructure has a significant positive impact on its economy. The existence of these incentives also proves advantageous when competition between states for tourism attractions is strong. For example, Ohio lost the bids for a new Aquarium, Newport on the Levy, and Hofbrauhause destinations to Newport, Kentucky, across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, due to the incentives provided through the KTDA.

Tourism incentive models do not need to be highly complex pieces of legislation. Through the simplicity and clarity of well-defined industry specific legislation, states have the ability to promote growth and economic development of their tourism industries. Whether tourism incentives are generated through a sales tax reimbursement or tax increment financing, the end result, if achieved with proper due diligence, is multiple layers of economic impact to the benefit the state and the people it serves.

Eric B. Hansen, AIA, ISHC is the Director of Development Services for Hotel & Leisure Advisors, a national hospitality consulting firm. Mr. Hansen is active in performing appraisals, market feasibility studies, economic impact studies, property condition assessments, and impact studies for hotels, resorts, waterparks, golf courses, conference centers, and other leisure properties. Mr. Hansen offers more than 17 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

He has a passion for all things tourism and is currently serving a three-year term on the board of the Ohio Travel Association (OTA). He is co-chairman of OTA’s Legislation Committee, working to increase awareness and education of the tremendous economic benefits of Ohio’s fourth largest private sector industry.

As a hospitality consultant with a foundation in consulting, architecture, financial management, and appraisal theory, Mr. Hansen brings well rounded expertise to various H&LA assignments and assists H&LA clients with their pre-development, consulting, and valuation needs.

This article was originally published on Hotel Online.

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FISCALS INCENTIVES FOR TEZs NOW ON

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has finally released the rules for the grant of fiscal incentives to investors in the Tourism Enterprize Zones (TEZ). The BIR Revenue Regulations No. 7-2016 was signed on November 15 and published on the Manila Bulletin on November 21. It shall take effect on December 6, 15 days after the publication.

By virtue of RA 9593 of the Tourism Act of 2009, TIEZA is given the sole and exclusive jurisdiction in the establishment of a TEZ. All permits and licenses shall be issued by TIEZA to TEZ Operators and Registered Tourism Enterprises.

TIEZA made a shift towards the full implementation of the said mandate. It has already designated five flagship TEZs and six ordinary TEZs while the revenue regulation from BIR was still pending. With incentives already out for investors, TIEZA expects more applications from corporations, local government units and other interested parties.

TIEZA shall grant the following fiscal incentives to TEZs:

• a six-year income tax holiday (ITH) that may be extended for another six years;
• as an ITH alternative, a 5% preferential tax on gross income in lieu of national taxes except for real property tax and fees of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA);
• in lieu of ITH or the 5% preferential gross income tax, a net operating loss carry over (NOLCO) scheme;
• import tax exemptions for capital goods and equipment needed for TIEZA-registered activities;
• import tax exemptions for transport equipment and spare parts needed for TIEZA-registered activities;
• exemption from value-added tax (VAT) and excise tax goods imported for TIEZA-registered activities;
• tax credit equivalent to national taxes paid on local goods and services procured by RTEs for activity in TEZs, provided that input VAT will be allowed as credit against only output VAT;
• and tax deduction of up to 50% of cost of environmental protection and cultural heritage preservation activities, as well as of sustainable livelihood programs of the registered tourism enterprises (RTEs).

TIEZA may also decide to grant incentives to tourism businesses outside of TEZs.

As stipulated in the TEZ Guidelines, to avail of the incentives, the TEZ operator or the Registered Tourism Enterprise shall observe and abide by the provisions of RA 9593 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations; comply with directives that TIEZA may issue from time to time; and allow TIEZA representatives to examine its book and other pertinent records.

Incentives will be withheld from TEZ operators delinquent in compliance with the terms and conditions of designation or registration. TIEZA may also cancel or suspend granted incentive for violation of RA 9593, material representation or false statements made to TIEZA before designation/registration and whenever the project ceases to be viable.

The newly released rules also provide that TIEZA-accredited locators that have been found to have violated the terms of their registration will have to pay back taxes computed up to three years directly preceding the date of promulgation of the ruling on their violation.

TIEZA also grants non-fiscal incentives not covered by the revenue regulation. These are:

• Employment of foreign nationals
• Importation of Professional Instruments and Household effects
• Special investor’s Resident Visa
• Foreign Currency Transactions
• Requisition of Investment
• Lease and Ownership of Land

The government recognizes the advantage of TEZs in tourism development. It sees the TEZ’s role and capacity to generate jobs and economic activities especially in the provinces.

Granting of fiscal incentives to TEZ operators will open better competition among industry players. This will allow businesses to offer lower rates, thus pulling the market towards the Philippine tourism industry.

TEZs availing of the fiscal incentives under RA 9593 are not qualified to avail of similar incentives under other laws.

TIEZA issues the Certificate of Entitlement (CoE) to the designated/registered TEZ on a yearly basis.

To view Revenue Regulation 7-2016, please click the link below:

INCENTIVES FOR TOURISM ENTERPRISE ZONE OPERATORS AND REGISTERED TOURISM ENTERPRISES

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Published — December 18, 2020 

The following post does not create a lawyer-client relationship between Alburo Alburo and Associates Law Offices (or any of its lawyers) and the reader. It is still best for you to engage the services of your own lawyer to address your legal concerns, if any.

Also, the matters contained in the following were written in accordance with the law, rules, and jurisprudence prevailing at the time of writing and posting, and do not include any future developments on the subject matter under discussion.

Read also: WHAT IS TOURISM ENTERPRISE ZONE?

The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) may grant incentives to registered tourism enterprises

Tezs are being administered and supervised by tez operators, in general, there are two kinds of incentives available to tez operators and registered tourism enterprises.

M artin Parr, a British documentary photographer said, “Tourism is the biggest industry in the world”.

In our previous article , we wrote about TEZs. This time, allow us to talk about incentives for TEZ operators and registered tourism enterprises.

Tourism enterprises within a TEZ needs to register with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) to avail of the incentives provided under the “Tourism Act of 2009”. These TEZs are being administered and supervised by TEZ operators. TEZ operators refer to any entity duly incorporated under the Corporation Code (now Revised Corporation Code ) of the Philippines, and other relevant laws.

What are the incentives available to TEZ operators and registered tourism enterprises within TEZs?

The law says:

There are two kinds of incentives available to TEZ operators and registered tourism enterprises within TEZs.  They are fiscal and non-fiscal incentives . Fiscal incentives refer to “monetary benefits” while non-fiscal incentives are those that are simply “non-monetary” value.

For fiscal incentives, they are the following:

• Income Tax Holiday which refers to exemption from tax on income from the start of business operation for a period of six (6) years. This income tax holiday may be extended;
• In lieu of all other national and local taxes, license fees, imposts and assessments except real estate taxes as may be imposed by the TIEZA, a new enterprise shall pay a tax of five (5%) percent on its gross income earned;
• An exemption of one hundred percent (100%) of all taxes customs duties on importations of capital investment and equipment;
• An exemption from customs and national taxes on importation of transportation and the accompanying spare parts of new and expanding registered enterprises;
• A tax credit or exemption from all taxes and customs duties on goods and services necessary for various kinds of tourism enterprises subject to rules and regulations; and
• A tax deduction not exceeding fifty percent (50%) of the cost of environmental protection or cultural heritage preservation activities, sustainable livelihood programs for local communities, and other similar activities.

For non-fiscal incentives, they are the following:

• A registered enterprise may employ foreign nationals under such terms and conditions as may be provided by the TIEZA Board;
• A foreign national who made an investment with a value of at least Two hundred thousand dollars (USD200,000.00) in a registered enterprise is entitled to a special investor’s resident visa;
• They are also to enjoy transactions involving foreign currency subject to the provisions of the New Central Bank Act.

How about tourism enterprises outside TEZs, do they enjoy the same incentives? A related article will be posted in a few days.

Alburo Alburo and Associates Law Offices  specializes in business law and labor law consulting. For inquiries, you may reach us at [email protected], or dial us at (02)7745-4391/0917-5772207.

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What incentives are available in the tourism sector.

There are three(3) incentive packages available in the tourism sector: They are the:

Hotel incentive: The Hotels Incentives Act provides that a ten (10) year relief from GCT, income tax and import duty is available to:

• New hotels;
• Existing hotels adding a minimum of ten (10) rooms or thirty percent (30%) of the existing number of rooms (whichever is greater);
• Existing hotels that have done or intend to do substantial structural alteration; and
• Approved convention hotels with three hundred and fifty (350) or more bedrooms are entitled to income tax and import duty relief ranging from eleven to fifteen (11-15) years.

Under the Hotels Incentives Act, any company that is recognized as owner, tenant and operator is entitled to benefits.

Resort cottage incentive: Under the Resort Cottages Incentives Act new resort cottages are entitled to seven (7) years relief from income tax.

A resort cottage owner is also entitled to an incentive for the purpose of an extension. The Resort Cottages Incentives Act defines "extension" as an existing group of resort cottages adding a minimum of five (5) rooms or 30% of the original investment, whichever is greater.

Under the Resort Cottages Act, owners, tenants or operators of resort cottages or groups of resort cottages are entitled to benefits.

Attraction Incentive: Cabinet has approved the following for the Attractions Incentive Package. These incentives were made available for the establishment, refurbishment, conservation, reconstruction and repositioning of attractions in the market place and in an effort to stimulate growth in the sub-sector.

• The importation of specific items free of GCT and Custom Duty for five (5) years (utilizing the discretionary authority of the Minister of Finance & The Public Service)
• Five-year exemption from corporate taxes for investors in attractions (utilizing the discretionary authority of the Ministry of Finance & The Public Service)

Prior to the signing off on incentive packages, clearance must be sought from the Ministry of Finance & The Public Service by the Ministry of Tourism.

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As summer nears, state tourism businesses pin hopes on winning more Pure Michigan funding

As Michigan gears up for another summer tourism season, businesses are hoping to cash in on what they expect will be strong demand throughout the state.

On Mackinac Island, visitors will notice numerous changes, including a two-year restoration at the Grand Hotel and the reopening of the Inn at Stonecliffe following a two-year, $30 million, property-wide transformation. In the Traverse City area, four hotels are expected to open in the next year to accommodate additional out-of-town guests in the popular tourist spot along Lake Michigan.

Operators are hopeful the summer season will be better for tourism in the state after emerging from a mild winter that negatively impacted snow-related businesses, particularly ski hills and nearby lodging. Hospitality and tourism leaders, meanwhile, are seeking the funding they say the state’s Pure Michigan campaign needs to keep visitors — and revenue — flowing into the state.

“We have the best state and I know we have the best campaign,” said Justin Winslow, president and CEO of the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association. “We just need to make sure it's in front of as many eyeballs as possible.”

Pushing for promotion funds

Officials with Travel Michigan said earlier this month that results from the state’s Pure Michigan campaign show that travel is on par with pre-pandemic numbers and consistent with national trends. A group of hospitality and tourism leaders would like to keep that momentum going.

Earlier this year, the Michigan Hospitality & Tourism Alliance was formed from a collaboration of statewide and regional organizations seeking to boost funding for the state’s Pure Michigan campaign. The alliance is seeking $50 million for the fiscal year, which would more than triple the current funding.

“We as an industry maybe have become a little more disparate since the pandemic,” said Winslow, a founding leader of the alliance. “We all fought individual battles and had such an existential threat to hospitality, travel and tourism overall. We all went back to our own corners just out of survival instincts. And I don't think we were all communicating what we needed to for the success of all of us overall, and it shows up most notably in what happened to the Pure Michigan budget."

The effort has found some support. On Thursday, the Michigan House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Economic Development, and Lifelong Learning, chaired by Rep. Will Snyder, D-Muskegon, proposed a $40 million budget for Pure Michigan.

Pure Michigan's tourism advertising funding has decreased to about $15 million from roughly $40 million during the past two budget cycles, Winslow said: “That's just far short, I think, of what's necessary to meet the demand out there and the infrastructure that we've created as a state.

“And so I think we're leaving a lot of money on the table for Michiganders by not investing more in the Pure Michigan tourism campaign. And the alliance is trying to create a more unified and hopefully powerful place to make that message heard.”

Earlier this year, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proposed $20 million for the Make it in Michigan Competitiveness Fund “to build off the iconic Pure Michigan campaign, on top of the $15 million in existing funding for the program, with a focus on talent attraction, labor retention and relocating to Michigan.” It is unclear if any of those dollars would be spent on promotional spending.

The alliance also announced earlier this year the creation of a bipartisan, bicameral “Hospitality & Tourism Caucus" that will work with the alliance to better understand challenges and opportunities impacting the industry. Those members include state Sen. John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs; Sen. Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores; Rep. Will Snyder, D-Muskegon, and Rep. Nancy DeBoer, R-Holland.

“The travel, tourism and hospitality industry drives the Michigan economy, and nowhere is this more true than in my District in northern Michigan and the Eastern U.P.,” said Damoose, the caucus co-chair, in a statement. “Given the unique challenges faced by this industry in the past several years — from Covid to regulatory burdens — it is critical that legislators come together to help.”

A 2024 SMARInsights Advertising Effectiveness Research for Pure Michigan report released this month showed that Pure Michigan advertising influenced more than 1.5 million leisure trips to Michigan from the national, regional and in-state markets targeted by the campaign. The report showed that out of the $16.9 million spent on advertising in 2023, Michigan saw a return of $9.21 in state tax revenue for each $1 invested.

“I guess it just goes to show that if there’s less advertising, we’ll have to rely on other means to fight for potential business loss,” said Tim Hygh, CEO of Mackinac Island Tourism.

The campaign also has an impact for Metro Detroit, said Christopher Moyer of Visit Detroit, an alliance member: "Every dollar that comes from Chicago to Detroit is one dollar that didn't exist in our economy before but now is here."

Moyer said the requested $50 million is a small fraction of the state’s overall budget — $82 billion for the current fiscal year — and “returns 10X back for communities throughout the state, for small businesses, for union workers, for the hotel workers in the city of Detroit who are part of the Unite Here labor union. They go to work because of visitors.”

Investing in upgrades

On Mackinac Island, businesses are hoping for another strong year when the island opens in May. Among the latest projects is the $30 million transformation of the Inn at Stonecliffe. The property will welcome guests starting in June.

The former mansion, built in 1904, and its 150-acre estate have had numerous uses over the years, including as a ski resort, college and hotel.

The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation took ownership of the property in fall 2022, closed it and restored the mansion, refreshed the summer house and added three three-bedroom cottages and a fourth one-bedroom cottage, said Kevin Doyle, the foundation's chief operating officer.

“All the rooms are kind of a custom bespoke feel,” he said. “In the mansion, there's 16 rooms. Every one of them is different. The summer house, there's 32 rooms. Every floor has a different feel. The mansion is more of a romantic charm feel. And the summer houses is a little brighter family, cheerful feel, if you will.”

The foundation also added a wellness center, two pools, a barbecue pavilion and a four-season event venue overlooking the Straits of Mackinac. The foundation acquired the nearby apple orchard and plans to offer beekeeping lessons and apple picking, Doyle said.

In Grand Traverse County, four hotels are expected to open this year or early next year, including an Avid hotel and a Fairfield Inn, said Trevor Tkach, president and CEO of Traverse City Tourism.

“I think that’s the testament to the commitment and the belief that demand will continue to grow for destinations like Traverse City,” he said. The area held its first International Fireworks Championship in 2023, and will expand this year as a two-day event. Another draw is the nearly 50 wineries in the region.

In Grand Rapids, Doug Small, president and CEO of Experience Grand Rapids, said they are projecting a 1.5% to 3% increase in visitors this year based on a leveling-off of room rates and occupancy: "What I like to say is, 'let's manage expectations.' Because ‘22 and ‘23 were so good … You can't grow that every year. You can maybe maintain it. So we maintain it through this year, or even increase by 1%, that's still a really good year.”

At Brys Estate in Traverse City, Patrick Brys said his family-owned winery is pretty well-staffed for the summer season. The year-round staff hovers around 25 employees. At peak times, the winery employs about 100 people.

The 155-acre property includes a winery, 44 acres of grapes, a guest house and a "secret garden" with 6,000 lavender plants. Business at the winery is up from pre-pandemic levels, with 1,000 daily visitors during peak times.

“People coming up can choose from a lot of different activities as far as wine tasting or specialized wine tours that take people out in the vineyard on stretch golf carts we call our wine wagons,” he said. “Obviously, they can visit our secret garden and lavender operation. And there's picnic areas down there. They can browse a lot of the products that are made from all the distilling of the lavender oils.”

Staffing up for summer

Hiring is also on the minds of tourist destinations and seasonal venues throughout the state. Mackinac Island needs about 5,000 workers on the island every year, Hygh said, with about 1,200 coming to work through H-2B guest worker visa.

“Our members will put an enormous effort in to get by. I think we're going to be fine," he said. "There's nothing that sticks out this year that shows that we would be down, but we continue to just keep advocating and fighting for more H-2B visas. That’s a constant.”

At Rare Bird Brewpub in Traverse City, co-founder Tina Schuett said they are preparing for an influx of visitors as the weather warms. People are drawn to the food and beer scene as well as nearby natural attractions, such as Sleeping Bear Dunes.

To accommodate extra visitors, the pub will expand beyond its year-round staff of 30 to about 40.

“We hire some seasonal staff, usually younger people, high school or college filling some of those gaps that we need just kind of support staff,” Schuett said. “It’s really tricky getting all the staff that we need because everybody in this town is fighting for the same employees and also with COVID we saw a lot of people leaving the industry. "

Schuett’s looking forward to the stressful and exhausting busyness of the summer season, she acknowledged: “It's when we make our money for the year. Our staff love it because they make a lot of money and they do really well.”

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Moscow metro to be more tourist-friendly

A new floor sign system at the Moscow metro's Pushkinskaya station. Source: Vladimir Pesnya / RIA Novosti

For many years now, Moscow has lagged behind St. Petersburg when it comes to making life easy for tourists, especially where getting around the city is concerned. Whereas the northern capital installed English-language maps, signs and information points throughout its subway system in the late 2000s, the Russian capital’s metro remained a serious challenge for foreign visitors to navigate.

Recent visitors to Moscow may have noticed some signs that change is afoot, however. In many stations of the Moscow subway, signs have appeared on the floor – with large lettering in Russian and English – indicating the direction to follow in order to change lines. Previously, foreign visitors using the Moscow metro had to rely solely upon deciphering the Russian-language signs hanging from the ceilings.

Student volunteers help tourists find their way in Moscow

However, this new solution has a significant drawback. “The floor navigation is visible only to a small stream of people – fewer than three people per meter. During peak hours, this navigation will simply not be noticed,” said Konstantin Trofimenko, Director of the Center for Urban Transportation Studies.

One of the biggest problems for tourists in the Russian capital remains the absence of English translations of the names of subway stations in the station vestibules and on platforms. The Department of Transportation in Moscow has not commented yet as to when this problem will be solved. However, Latin transliterations of station names can already be found in the subway cars themselves.

Finding the right exit

At four of the central stations – Okhotny Ryad, Teatralnaya, Ploshchad Revolyutsii, Lubyanka and Kuznetsky Most – the city authorities have now installed colorful stands at the exits with schematic diagrams of the station’s concourse and surrounding area, which provide information about the main attractions and infrastructural facilities.

The schematic diagrams are the work of British specialists from the City ID and Billings Jackson Design firms, who have already implemented successful projects in New York and London.

According to Alexei Novichkov, expert at the Design Laboratory at the Higher School of Economics, the design of these information booths raises no objections: The color solutions, font, layout and icons are consistent with international standards.

However, the stands do have some shortcomings. “Many questions are raised about the fact that the developers of these maps did not apply orientation to the north, and have provided layouts of the surrounding areas with respect to the exits,” says Novichkov. “A system like that is used for road navigators, but most of the ‘paper’ guides and maps are oriented strictly to north. The subway map is also oriented to north, so people may become confused.”

Muscovites and foreign visitors are generally positive about these navigation elements, with most of them citing the numbered exits from the subway as the most useful feature.

The fact is that many Moscow subway stations have several exits. One of the busiest central stations of the Moscow subway in particular, Kitay-Gorod, has more than a dozen exits. Previously, these exits were differentiated from each other only with signs in Russian referring to the names of streets and places of interest to which they led – making it easy for tourists and those with poor navigation skills to get confused.

Now, when making an appointment to meet a friend, instead of struggling to find the right spot when they tell you: “I'll meet you at the exit to Solyanka Street,” you can just propose to meet under a specific exit number.

“I’ve lived in Moscow for seven years,” says Angelika, a designer from Voronezh, “but I still don’t always know where to go to find the place I need, so the new schematic diagrams will be very useful. Previously, some subway stations had maps, but not with so much detail.”

Teething problems

Foreigners, meanwhile, focus their attention on other elements. “It is good that the new information boards have QR-codes, which can be ‘read’ by smartphones,” says Florentina, a writer from Vienna. But there are also shortcomings. “The English font of the information on posters and in the captions to theaters and museums is too small – you have to come very close to see it well,” she says.

Pleasant encounters on the streets of Moscow

Florentina was also dissatisfied with the fact that such posters are not provided at all subway stations: “When I was trying to find Tsaritsyno Park (a museum and reserve in the south of Moscow) at a subway station with the same name, it turned out to be quite difficult,” she says.

“There are no maps with landmarks for other areas, such as those already in the city center. There were no clear pointers in the English language, and the passers-by I met did not speak in English, so they could not help me,” she adds.

Officials say that the navigation system is gradually being redeveloped and improved. According to Darya Chuvasheva, a press representative for the Department of Transport of Moscow, the introduction of a unified navigation system will take place in stages.

“By the end of 2014, the system will first appear on the first subway stations on the Circle Line. By the end of 2015, we plan to install the system at all major stopping points, subway stations and transport interchange hubs,” says Chuvasheva.

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St. Johns County preps budget for 2024-25: Budget workshops set for May 10-20.

St. johns county plans fiscal year 2025 budget workshop series may 10-20. workshops will be broadcast live and recorded..

St. Johns County government will hold a series of workshops May 10-20 as it prepares the budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2024-Sept. 30, 2025.) The workshops will be held at St. Augustine’s St. Johns County Administration Building, 500 San Sebastian View.

According to a press release issued by county Public Affairs Manager Tyler Jarnagin, the workshops are designed to increase public engagement and understanding of the challenges, resource requirements, and completion of services related to the budgeting process.

County Administrator Joy Andrews described the workshops as an opportunity for the public to assist the county in making decisions that affect the community.

The workshops represent "a pivotal step in our commitment to open governance,” she said. “Our aim is to provide unfiltered access to the dialogues of county’s operational staff as we plan for 2025.”

Workshops will be broadcast live on GTV at www.sjcfl.us/gtv and recorded. Recordings will be made available at www.sjcfl.us/gtv within three days.

“We want every voice heard and every perspective considered as we navigate budgeting for the upcoming fiscal year,” continued Andrews. “From public safety to parks, economic development to health services, and everything in between, we'll delve into the details of balancing revenues and expenditures and address the operational needs for the fiscal year 2025.”

“Definitive dollar amounts will be provided,” said Jesse Dunn, the county’s Office of Management & Budget director.

In June, the St. Johns County Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will host a public website dedicated to county budgeting that will include a line-item workbook and budgeting materials.  

“Community involvement is at the heart of this process,” concluded Andrews. “Your insights and feedback are invaluable to us."

The Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Workshop Sessions:

May 10 – 1 p.m.

• Library Services
• Grants and Legislative Affairs
• Administration/Board of County Commissioners/Office of Management and Budget
• Utility Services

May 13 – 1 p.m.

• Veteran Services
• Performance and Transparency
• Economic Development and Incentives
• Public Works and Solid Waste

May 14 – 1 p.m.

• Building Services
• Growth Management
• Medical Examiner
• Public Safety

May 15 – 2 p.m.

• Tourism and Development Council
• Parks and Recreation

May 16 – 9 a.m.

• Human Resources
• Risk Management
• Agricultural Extension Services
• County Attorney
• Facilities Management

May 17 – 1 p.m.

• Management Information Systems
• Public Affairs
• Health and Human Services
• Health Department

May 20 – 9 a.m.

• Land Management
• Purchasing and Contract Management
• Emergency Management
• Coastal Management
• Disaster Recovery

The budget workshops will also be broadcast live at the St. Johns County Public Library Systems

• May 10: Anastasia Island, Southeast, Main, Hastings, Bartram Trail
• May 13: Anastasia Island, Hastings
• May 14: Anastasia Island, Main
• May 15: Anastasia Island
• May 16: Anastasia Island
• May 17: Anastasia Island, Bartram Trail
• May 20: Anastasia Island, Main

In year of budget cuts, Mayor Muriel Bowser bets big on downtown D.C.

Bowser says reviving downtown will ultimately pay dividends to all D.C. — returning the city to a period of growth that shaped the early years of her tenure.

They struggled to be heard from the back of the room, shouting as Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) tried to ignore them.

“Are you on the side of billionaires, or the working-class people of the District of Columbia?” one person yelled, as a demonstration broke out at the tail end of a budget forum Bowser held before releasing her proposal.

It was Dana White, advocacy director at Miriam’s Kitchen, which aids the homeless. White and more than a dozen demonstrators had come to reject what they saw as a paradox: How could Bowser ask residents to brace for budget cuts in a time of fiscal scarcity, when she had just offered $500 million to billionaire Ted Leonsis to renovate Capital One Arena downtown?

The moment reflected arguably the greatest challenge of Bowser’s third term: With city finances tumbling downhill by most estimates, she is betting big on investing in downtown to reverse the city’s trajectory — investments whose return may not materialize for years while cuts to city programs may be felt immediately. Downtown is one of three core areas in Bowser’s $21 billion budget proposal , where she has enhanced investments — including certain areas in education and public safety — while most other areas are seeing cuts. Her pitch to residents has homed in on one central idea: that reviving sluggish tax revenue downtown, beset by office and storefront vacancies, will ultimately pay dividends to all of the city’s neighborhoods — returning the city to a period of growth that shaped the early years of her tenure.

“My message hasn’t changed, and that is that a thriving downtown is essential to every part of the District,” she said at a downtown event last week.

Bowser has garnered broad support — on the D.C. Council and within the business community — on her overall downtown strategy. But since she unveiled her budget proposal, Bowser has taken pains to explain to residents her major proposed investments against the significant cuts, framing them as “shared sacrifices.” In all, she proposed nearly $800 million in downtown investments — including $520 million to revitalize Capital One Arena — while at the same time proposing half a billion in cuts to city programs next fiscal year alone, including emergency rental assistance, legal aid for domestic violence victims and pay stipends for early childhood teachers.

All but roughly $141 million of the downtown investments comes from a separate pot of money, the capital budget, while city programs are funded through the more strapped operating budget. But Michael K. Fauntroy, director of the Race, Politics and Policy Center at George Mason University, said that distinction is not likely to change the political hurdle for Bowser: selling a long-term vision to revive downtown to residents wanting to know what’s in it for them now, or 10 years from now. Early-childhood teachers have protested. Small-business leaders want more of the pie. Many see the big bucks for downtown as direct competition.

“This presents a really difficult quandary for the mayor,” Fauntroy said, “because she’s right: If downtown is bustling and you’ve got hotels that are packed and conventions and events and all that kind of stuff, there’s a whole lot of revenue that can be utilized outside of downtown. … But how do you sell that to people who want, and deserve, immediate impact?”

Jamila White, an advisory neighborhood commissioner in Anacostia who has pushed for more economic investment in the underserved Ward 8, said the downtown emphasis reminds her of a “trickle-down” approach with dubious results for other sectors of the city. “I would love to be proven wrong, but saying you have a great downtown you can go to — that’s still inaccessible for the rest of us over here,” she said.

Bowser’s pledge that the downtown investments will uplift all neighborhoods largely stems from the fact that the city’s core has long been its economic engine. Economic activity downtown brings about $2.3 billion to the District’s coffers each year, comprising about one-fourth of D.C.’s annual local fund revenue, according to the Downtown Action Plan released by her administration and downtown business leaders in February.

During remarks Thursday at an annual forum on the state of downtown, Bowser defended her administration’s budget approach and said it was “dangerous” to suggest different sectors of the District were in competition for resources. “The truth is, we have to do it all,” the mayor told a crowd of business leaders.

“But I submit to you that we can’t always do it all at the same time,” she said, before adding, “If we see our values slide in the downtown, we can’t invest in Ward 7 and Ward 8 and all the wards of the District of Columbia. It’s important for us to do all government can do to stabilize the downtown.”

Of late, while tourism and hospitality industries have shown strong rebounds, commercial vacancies have been a drag on revenue, and crime fears remain a challenge. Tracing the impetus of the aggressive downtown push, Gerren Price, president and CEO of the DowntownDC Business Improvement District, said at a meeting last week that vacancies in downtown were the worst since the early 1990s, back when D.C. was known as the murder capital and finances were out of whack. Office vacancies have reached 22 percent while a quarter of ground floor retail space is vacant, he said.

“That’s alarming,” he told the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, a D.C. urban planning group, during a forum last week on the future of downtown.

Bowser made reinventing downtown the banner ambition in her third-term inaugural address last year, unveiling a goal to bring 15,000 people downtown by 2028 and more than 100,000 longer-term. She has insisted she remains committed to economic growth in other parts of the city, recently cutting the ribbon on several Anacostia developments. But the downtown focus has lately dominated her agenda. She’s rolled out a Downtown Action Plan, a downtown housing plan, a downtown public realm plan. “Someone joked recently that we have enough downtown plans to create a PhD in urban planning,” said Yesim Sayin, an economist who leads the D.C. Policy Center.

Bits and pieces of the many downtown plans appear in Bowser’s proposed budget over the next five years. Aside from the half-billion for Capital One Arena, there’s $63 million for tax incentives to prompt developers to transform office buildings into apartments or other uses. There’s another $68 million for streetscape projects such as the I Street Greenway and on Pennsylvania Avenue West. And another $64 million would expand a downtown homeless shelter. But there’s also millions for shorter-term initiatives to try to draw more tourists and visitors, such as $5 million to prepare to host the WorldPride festival and $2.5 million to turn vacant storefronts into “pop-up” retail.

Sayin said the focus made sense — and so did the budget cuts in her view, describing D.C.’s fiscal outlook as “very scary” without significant change. Putting the city’s limited eggs in the downtown basket, she said, was the best bet to make a dent in the downward trends.

“I think the biggest return [on investment] is creating a downtown that’s once again an engine of revenue growth,” she said.

Council members have generally backed Bowser’s investments in downtown — even Robert C. White Jr. (D-At Large), her most vocal critic over her proposed $20 million cut to emergency rental assistance (ERAP). Still, White said, he understood why many residents he’s hearing from could question how the city has big bucks for downtown while bracing for cuts. White said officials need to work harder to show residents citywide exactly “how investment in downtown will help them specifically” — because for advocates for working-class families, a driving question is who benefits from a beautified and reinvented downtown?

“I’ll tell you what — it’s not folks east of the river,” said Niciah Mujahid, executive director of the Fair Budget Coalition, which pushes a tax increase on wealthier property owners to fulfill more of the “shared sacrifice.”

The investments, Mujahid argued, are likely to draw wealthier tourists and transplants who already had the “class status” to live, work or visit downtown D.C. She rejected the idea that the investments would ultimately help other neighborhoods. “There’s nothing about making folks come back to work downtown, having them buy sandwiches from Au Bon Pain at their lunch, that is going to increase the quality of life in Southeast. It doesn’t work like that,” Mujahid said. “There’s nothing about investing in green space downtown that’s going to fix the green space in Ward 8 or 7, or Ward 5.”

Bowser faced some of the most intense pushback in the immediate aftermath of her budget presentation last month, as roughly 200 early-childhood teachers and parents gathered to protest her proposal to entirely eliminate the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund. Bowser had said she did not want to make the cut and only did so because Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee insisted that the city fully replenish a separate reserve fund. Nevertheless, the optics put Bowser in a political bind: Days before she presented the budget, she announced that the city would give Leonsis the half a billion dollars to renovate Capital One Arena.

“It’s like they don’t care about us — it’s more important that they have money for sports,” Kristen Russi, a teacher at Adas Israel Congregation’s early-childhood education center, said at the protest.

Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D), who has defended Bowser, saying she was “forced” to make that cut, has vowed to restore the funds and ignore Lee’s requirement.

Council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) said Mendelson is going to have a “tough job” as lawmakers consider changes to Bowser’s budget proposal ahead of their vote on the final version. “Nobody who’s serious,” he said, would try to undo every cut considering the fiscal circumstances. But he and council member Kenyan R. McDuffie (I-At Large) said they want to ensure small businesses in other commercial corridors get a fair slice of the pie — for example, through the District’s Main Streets program, which gives grants to small businesses in busy city arteries outside of downtown.

In fiscal 2024, for the first time since at least 2016, the city’s 28 Main Streets organizations enjoyed a $1.3 million boost in funding that the groups say has substantially improved their ability to support small businesses across the city — including those who want to expand their operations to downtown. But despite hope from small-business leaders that the increased funds would be sustained in Bowser’s latest budget, the increase was nixed instead. The mayor said last week that Main Streets had been infused with one-time funding from the council and that her proposal is on par with previous investments.

“Don’t get me wrong, I get the importance of revitalizing downtown, but I don’t think you should do it at the detriment of other commercial corridors,” said Babatunde Oloyede, president and CEO of the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization, which oversees the Pennsylvania Avenue East Main Street program. “Because of the challenges Ward 7 and Ward 8 face from an economic standpoint, I would argue that we need to have over-investment in these areas to get to a level playing field.”

Bowser said last week that downtown’s impact on city finances couldn’t be compared to other commercial areas. “I would be careful to suggest that the type of investments we’re making in corridors across the city and the transformative and catalytic investments in some of the downtown programs should be considered in the same way,” she said.

Aiming to spotlight investments in her budget that will directly help small businesses, Bowser appeared Monday at one of the city’s many Main Streets corridors: Rhode Island Avenue NE, where various businesses got a facelift thanks to city grants.

Michaela Blanchard, executive director of D.C. Squared, which oversees Rhode Island Avenue and Bladensburg Road main streets, said that with all the focus on downtown lately, it mattered to see the mayor spreading some of the love — and investments — in her area. Still, she said, she would still be advocating to maintain higher funds, “because it’s needed.”

“We just don’t want to be forgotten,” she said. “Obviously, this presence today shows we’re not forgotten — I just want to make sure we continue to have the same chances.”

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40 Facts About Elektrostal

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 02 Mar 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy, materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes, offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development.

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy, with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

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