Tiraspol, March 16. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. Commercial or industrial tourism is not today`s invention. In Western Europe, the boom in industrial tourism began about a quarter of a century ago, while such excursions were carried out in the early 30s of the last century in Russia: the state excursion joint-stock company Soviet Tourist issued leaflets with routes of industrial excursions.
Industrial tourism is also actively developing in Pridnestrovie. The Tourism Agency pays great attention to this area. A lot of useful information, including about the enterprises of the republic, can be found on the Pridnestrovian tourist site.
It should be noted that there are a lot of industrial facilities in Pridnestrovie (the republic was famous for its industrial potential even in Soviet times). Although, only three can be visited as part of tourist groups today - Dubossary HPP, Aquatir LLC, and Inter Center Lux BC. Angela Ponomareva, a representative of one of the Pridnestrovian tour operators, told Novosti Pridnestrovya News Agency about what was interesting about those objects and what was the potential of industrial tourism in the PMR.
According to her, the PMR Tourism Agency helped local tour operators to establish communication with enterprises. The industry has long needed such a coordinating body. The agency has already organized several information tours to the enterprises for tour operators. Angela Ponomareva underlined the significance of such professional excursions.
“We are getting to know the heads of enterprises. We can convey to them how to build a route so that it is interesting for tourists,” a representative of the travel agency said.
Angela Ponomareva is sure that each of the three enterprises is unique and interesting in its own way.
According to her, there is no doubt that it is worth visiting the Dubossary HPP. There are several reasons for this. First, the visiting program is well established. The tour is given by the enterprise`s specialists. It all starts with a visit to the museum. Tourists are told about the history of the plant (and it is rich at the Dubossary HPP).
“During the tour, you will go down to the very base of the plant, practically to the bottom of the Dniester. You will also visit the very top at the site of a 30-meter dam. The lower Dniester is behind you, the upper Dniester is in front of you. This is very impressive. In addition, the Dubossary reservoir and the surrounding area are very picturesque. Water always attracts people. Therefore, the Dubossary HPP is watchable at any time of the year,” Angela Ponomareva said.
Tourists are always welcome to the Inter Center Lux, the interlocutor of the agency said. The program of the tour, according to her, is prepared correctly and not only arouses interest among adults, but also among children. Tourists will be told about the entire production cycle - from the design office to the branded clothing store.
A bonus to the excursion is a walking tour with a story about Tiraspol (since the enterprise is located within the city limits).
Work with tourists has been established at a high level in Aquatir LLC, Angela Ponomareva said.
“Everything is interesting here –starting from the origin story, the process of 'milking' the fish to how the fish starts to play in the pool. This is very impressive," the RIO representative said.
The interlocutor of Novosti Pridnestrovya News Agency is sure that industrial tourism in Pridnestrovie has prospects, despite the fact that it is seasonal and not all enterprises are ready to receive tourists because of the pandemic.
“Enterprises that produce any kind of product should be interested in tourists. To a large extent, this is advertising that you don't have to pay for. After visiting an enterprise, seeing the production process, a person will sooner or later buy something of its products,” the representative of the travel agency is sure.
In addition, industrial tourism forms a certain worldview among our citizens, respect for working professions, Angela Ponomareva said.
She said that there was a great demand for visiting such enterprises as Tirotex, Moldavian Metallurgical Plant, Elektromash. Livestock farms and small private industries are interesting in terms of tourism.
“There was no particular need to develop domestic tourism before the pandemic. Foreign tourists usually visited Tiraspol and Bendery. And after the border closures, many thought about developing tourist locations here in Pridnestrovie. And now we have a good opportunity to create and work out new routes so that in the future they would be interesting and in demand among foreign tourists,” the agency's interlocutor summed up.
Note that MMP and Elektromash are ready to organize tours, while the Bouquet of Moldavia and KVINT will open doors for tourists after the pandemic.
