Will Kazan become a tourist mecca after the XXVII Summer Universiade?

 

July 2013 will be very important time for Russian tourist, it’s necessary to be in all glory because Tartarstan’s capital Kazan is expecting to receive more than one million tourists and 13 thousand athletes from 170 countries. The XXVII Summer Universiade will start the 6th of July but preparations to it have begun considerably earlier, and all this event costs more than $ 4,3 billion. Now specialists are calculating not only building scales but corruption scales too.

Sochi-2014 and Kazan-2013 (like APEC in Vladivostok) are the most expensive sport and tourist projects in Russia last years. Account Chamber of Russia is running off its legs trying to count charges of Olympic Games in Sochi (now the sum of money is more than $ 50 billion). It’s not difficult to guess that the Universiade and the Olympic Games are the projects oriented to show power and steadfastness of Russia. Certainly it’s fascinating to count somebody’s money but let’s speak about something more pleasant. Today I’m interested in Kazan and let me look what important things and objects for Russian and foreign tourists will be realized there this summer.

64 objects will be brought into play to organize competitions. Especially to this event 34 objects have been built or are being built now. The biggest buildings are Football stadium for opening and closing ceremonies (45,000 seats), Central Stadium (27,000 seats), TatNeft Arena (10,000 seats), Basket-Hall Arena (7,500 seats) and Universiade Village which can host over 13,000 people. Aquatics Palace, Tennis Academy, Rowing centre, Saint Petersburg Volleyball Centre, Gymnastics Palace have capacity less 5,000 people but for Kazan they are something unaccustomed.

Also a lot of money were assigned to building and reconstruction of transport infrastructure. More than ten flyover, 23 highways, 73 streets are constructed or renovated. The second subway line, new tram line, aero-express line to international airport “Kazan” were built.

Tartarstan’s capital is ready to receive guests, “the guest card” will appear in the city. This card will be available since 1st of March. Now it is not known how to became card-owner but indeed it’ll give big preferences: free enter to five museums, several public transit trips, discount in some Kazan’s souvenir shops and restaurants. Three information stalls, 30 maps, 51 pedestrian indicators and 21 memorial indicator will appear by this summer. Also all street names will be translated into English. Information technologies must serve Universiade and new free iPhone and iPad application will be launched, it got a name “Discover Kazan”. This application will be in English, Russian and Tatar and it’ll give information about tourist routs and main sightseeing. In May the application “Virtual History” will appear and it’ll give possibility to see historical buildings in retrospective. Last year multi-language call-centre began to work. Soon it’ll be very difficult to find places in Kazan hotels. Universiade’s capital is ready for tourists.

But the main question is very sore. And it also concerns Sochi. Will these cities became tourist mecca next years or they’ll be forgotten. Will Kazan’s $ 4,3 billion and Sochi’s $ 50 billion come back to state, regional, municipal budget and to investors? Will tourists and sportsmen return there after these pompous and done for effect competitions?

by Valentin Ivanov 

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Territorial logos: good, better, the best!

Last time we started to view various territorial brandings, successful as a rule. At that time it was logos of Las Vegas and Melbourne cities. Today I’m going to tell you about logos of the New-York, Perm, Kazan cities and some countries such as Croatia, Estonia, France, Italy and Slovenia. Some of brands became better, some not so. 

New-York

The process of the New-York branding started in 80s and today we can say that its territorial branding is one of the most serious in XX century. City branding became an important strategy which has already proved its efficiency. In 1977 the New-York Commerce Department gave an order to Wells Rich Green agency to do an advertising campaign. Nobody knew that campaign will take longer than it was planned. Designer Milton Gleizer made a city logotype absolutely gratis. Suddenly it became the New York symbol. Logo is too simple and too successful that all New-Yorkers loved it and today a lot of territories try to copy this idea. But their attempts are unsuccessful: if people see “I love so-and-so” they remember about the New-York city immediately.

Kazan

This city is an example of how large-scale cultural and sport events can promote the branding starting. In fact this method proves its value: the city is in the centre of the events, all media watch it intently and all advantages and disadvantages are conspicuous. New Kazan logotype creation is connected with forthcoming World Students Games. New brand was placed even at the houses’ numbers. New motto “Thousands worlds of the New” is a symbol of interconnection of different cultures and religion living here together since the beginning of the time.

Perm

 

Well-known and one of the most expensive Russian designers offered a quite simple logotype for Perm (Пермь). By his opinion logo should be only the first letter of the city name – П. No decorations and ornaments. He offered to use this understandable and easy-to-read letter everywhere: from houses’ numbers to walls and benches. People were too amazed by Perm logo simplicity and clarity.

Estonia

 

Desire to become the European Union member made Estonia to brand actively. It was very necessary to create a proper image of this small Baltic country for Europeans, the EU members. Branding started in 2002, the project cost was about $1,000,000. The result is the logo and the motto “Welcome to ESTonia” or “Go to EST!”.

France

France is one of the most outstanding modern territorial brandings. This country endowed new logo with new images, filled it with a great number of means, and escaped of usual using of the state symbols. It is unique case in the territorial identification. New French logotype is airy, light, expressive and quite emotional. It correlates well with the idea of all country branding. That rebranding is very successful. It seems that the logo is drew by the hand, strive upwards and transforms into personal signature of France.

Croatia

 

Rebranding here was in 2006. I can’t say that restyling changed the composition a lot, rather the presentation style was transformed. New logo has more bright colours and sun cheer mood. The symbol became more attractive and pleasant visually, and doesn’t resemble those corporative red-blue colours more.

Slovenia

In contrast to the Croatian logo the Slovenian one underwent important changes. Besides the new type appeared it was worked out new image including three symbols: a lime leaf, a heart and the Slovenian mountain Triglav. But it was quite difficult for amateurs to identify all these symbols. Rather they make the logo like flame that correlates with the country branding in a strange way. And used colour decisions make it too dark and not such cheerful.

Italy

 

Italian logo had considerable changes. Old sign was rather dynamic in its composition and had a riot of colour. Traditional Italian flag colours are used in new logotype; it became more accurate and even ascetic but rich in meaning at the same time. Symbol supports the country motto “Italia leaves trace”

by Valentin Ivanov

 

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