Business programme

According to St. Petersburg's Social and Economic Development Strategy for the period until 2035, tourism is a priority sector of the economy. Tourism development promotes dynamic job creation, growth of entrepreneurial and investment activity, development of service and hospitality infrastructure. Ultimately, it improves population's quality of life and creates a surge in international cooperation. The tourism industry is a leading job multiplier, providing income to more than 500,000 residents of St. Petersburg. Despite the difficult previous period for the tourism industry, St. Petersburg does not cease to win worldwide recognition and maintain a leading position among the tourist destinations of Russia. The city is working on new routes for Russian and international tourists, continuing to successfully implement programmes to increase the flow of tourists and increase the region's appeal. What are the new opportunities for tourism development under the current conditions? How to maximize the economic and investment potential of domestic and inbound tourism? What is the role of a successful tourism brand for increasing tourist flows? What is the role of interregional projects in socio-economic development of regions?

Moderator
Veronika Strizhak, Head and Presenter of the Glavnoye Programme, Channel Five

Veronika Strizhak

Head and Presenter of the Glavnoye Programme, Channel Five

Nika Strizhak: TV presenter, author and director of documentaries. Member of the Academy of Russian Television, member of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia. Awarded the order of Friendship and St. Petersburg’s supreme award – the commemorative token “For service St. Petersburg”. Lives and works in St. Petersburg. Graduated with distinction from the Philology Faculty at Leningrad State University. First joined Channel 5 in 1988 and has been working there permanently since 1993. For many years, his favourite genre was the talk show. For ten years, was author and presenter of the popular talk show Naobum, and then, for another ten years, head and presenter of the daily analytical talk show Open Studio (TEFI award 2014). Author of over 20 documentaries. Holds many awards from professional festivals and competitions.Since September 2013, head and presenter of the Sunday analytical programme “Most Important”.

Panellists
Igor Bailen, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines to the Russian Federation
Sergey Voronkov, General Director, ExpoForum International; President, Russian Union of Exhibitions & Fairs
Roman Golovanov, Chairman, Committee for Investment of Saint Petersburg
Andrey Yermak, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Kaliningrad region
Julia Kislova, Director, Market Guide Agency
Sergey Korneev, Chairman, Saint Petersburg Committee for Tourism Development
Marika Korotaeva, Co-Organizer, Project "Land of Forts"
Elena Lysenkova, Deputy Head, Federal Agency for Tourism
Olesya Oleinikova, Deputy Head of the Committee on Convention Activities, The Russian Union of Tourism Industry; Development Director, Profi.travel
Alexander Potekhin, Chairman, Association of the Mass Media of the Northwest; Director, Regional Information Center "TASS North-West"
Ekaterina Pronicheva, Chairperson, Moscow Tourism Committee
Elena Rakova, First Deputy Head of the Passenger Transportation Department, Russian Railways
Leonid Sergeev, Chief Executive Officer, Northern Capital Gateway
Lyubov Sovershaeva, Deputy Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Central Federal District
Prashant Chaudhary, Managing Director, Salvia Promoters Pvt Ltd.
Harmeek Singh Chugh, Founder, Owner, Plan B Group; Chairman, Visit St. Petersburg Middle East

Igor Bailen

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines to the Russian Federation

Sergey Voronkov

General Director, ExpoForum International; President, Russian Union of Exhibitions & Fairs

Born on 30 September 1965 in Orenburg.
Education:
Graduated from the Electromechanical Department at the Orenburg Polytechnical Institute, the Graduate School of the Moscow Youth Institute (Moscow University for the Humanities) (with a PhD in Economics), and the Higher School of Management at St. Petersburg State University (with an MBA).
Key work positions:
1990–1995 – Chairman of the Committee for Youth Affairs, Orenburg Municipal Administration.
1995–1998 – Head of the Innovation Department at the Committee for Family, Childhood and Youth Affairs, St. Petersburg Municipal Administration.
1998–2004 – Director for Commerce and Development, Petersburg-Express LLC.
2004–2006 – Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Press and Mass-Media Relations, St. Petersburg Municipal Administration.
2006–2011 – Director of Restec Group Enterprises.
2011–2013 – Executive Director of ExpoForum CJSC.
Since 20 September 2013 – CEO of ExpoForum International.

Andrey Yermak

Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Kaliningrad region

Julia Kislova

Director, Market Guide Agency

Sergey Korneev

Chairman, Saint Petersburg Committee for Tourism Development

Marika Korotaeva

Co-Organizer, Project "Land of Forts"

Elena Lysenkova

Deputy Head, Federal Agency for Tourism

Since 2000, Elena has been involved in the development and operational management of projects in the hospitality industry in Russia, the CIS and Europe. She has created the concept of hotel chains development and supervised the launch of hotels throughout the country and abroad, was engaged in projects consulting in the hotel and tourism sector, and implemented more than 4,000 projects of various scales under International and Russian brands.
Currently, Elena is engaged in the development of domestic and inbound tourism in the Federal Agency for Tourism.

Olesya Oleinikova

Deputy Head of the Committee on Convention Activities, The Russian Union of Tourism Industry; Development Director, Profi.travel

Alexander Potekhin

Chairman, Association of the Mass Media of the Northwest; Director, Regional Information Center "TASS North-West"

Ekaterina Pronicheva

Chairperson, Moscow Tourism Committee

Elena Rakova

First Deputy Head of the Passenger Transportation Department, Russian Railways

Leonid Sergeev

Chief Executive Officer, Northern Capital Gateway

Born on 28 May 1971 in Sverdlovsk His parents are engineers.
He graduated with honors from Kirov Urals Polytechnic Institute with MSc (Master of Science) degree in Engineering and Economics for Heavy Machine Building Enterprises. Obtained Ph.D. degree in Engineering and Economics. In 2003 he obtained Master of Business Administration degree in IMD, Switzerland.

Leonid Sergeev joined Basic Element in 2008. Since 2012 Leonid Sergeev has headed Basel Aero a joint venture between Basic Element, Sberbank of Russia and Changi Airports International, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Changi Airport Group. At present, Basel Aero owns airports located in Krasnodar, Sochi, Anapa and Gelendzhik.

During his tenure in Krasnodar Region he implemented the major projects in the field of air transportation, including preparation of Krasnodar Region airports for operations during holding of the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Games in accordance with the requirements of the International Olympic Committee, as well as the project of renovation of Krasnodar International Airport. Currently he implements the projects related to construction of new terminals of Anapa, Gelendzhik and Krasnodar airports. Basel Aero implemented a number of social responsibility projects for company employees as well as the people of Krasnodar Region.
He has several national awards, the Order For Merit to the Fatherland II class among them.

Lyubov Sovershaeva

Deputy Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Central Federal District

Prashant Chaudhary

Managing Director, Salvia Promoters Pvt Ltd.

Harmeek Singh Chugh

Founder, Owner, Plan B Group; Chairman, Visit St. Petersburg Middle East