ST. PETERSBURG, September 23. /TASS/. Experts from Belarus, the Republika Srpska (an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina), Jordan, Russia, and Uzbekistan will discuss ways to develop the creative potential of tourist destinations at the 5th International Presentation Conference on Tourism, Hospitality, and Creative Industries in St. Petersburg, the organizers said.

Russian Foreign Ministry’s Multilateral Cooperation and Cultural Relations Department Director and Russian Commission for UNESCO Affairs Executive Secretary Yelena Galaktionova will participate in the session, Nana Gvichia, Deputy Chairwoman of the St. Petersburg Committee for Tourism Development, said at a TASS press conference ahead of the event. "We hope [Galaktionova] will share the experience that currently exists in global practice. Because there are many areas of focus within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, and cities assume the responsibility of developing these areas. We previously identified gastronomy [for St. Petersburg]," she noted.

Other participants in the forum’s key event include State Secretary and Russian Deputy Culture Minister Zhanna Alekseyeva, Belarusian National Commission for UNESCO Affairs Executive Secretary Natalya Chashnovich, St. Petersburg Committee for Tourism Development Chairman Yevgeny Pankevich, Diana Grbic, Director of the National Theater of the Republic of Srpska, and others.

A highlight of the forum’s program on September 23 will be the awards ceremony for the winners of the souvenir products competition, as well as the choice of the best restaurants serving St. Petersburg cuisine and breakfast. "This is the first time such an award has been given out. The restaurant community is looking forward to this awards ceremony because it recognizes the significant progress made over the past ten years," Gvichia emphasized.

The "St. Petersburg Cuisine" and "St. Petersburg Breakfast" projects familiarize visitors with the city’s authentic cuisine and are the region’s gastronomic brands. The Committee for Tourism Development previously noted that approximately one in six tourists cites gastronomic tourism as the main reason for their trip to St. Petersburg, or as a supplement to cultural, educational, business, medical, and other travel programs. Since 2021, St. Petersburg has been a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the "Gastronomy" category. In 2023, the city officially received the status of Russia’s culinary capital.

The 5th International Presentation Conference on Tourism, Hospitality, and Creative Industries, titled "The Role of Creative Industries in the Socio-Economic Development of Tourism Territories, Including Those Part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network," is being held in St. Petersburg on September 22-24.