(Source: http://deartravel.ru)

A variety of issues of this sector was discussed during the "Perspective of Ethnogastronomic Tourism in Russia" forum-festival, held last week in Veliky Novgorod: from the perspective of forming gastronomic brand to personnel training and preparation of the necessary legislation activities.

According to Sergei Markov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for External Relations of St. Petersburg, at the initial stage, it is very important for the regions to decide on their own gastronomic brands. For example, the St. Petersburg's brand can be the smelt, the favorite fish of St. Petersburg dwellers, which can be tasted only here.

The smelt was mentioned as far back as in Gogol's "The Inspector General." At present, in springs the city hosts The Smelt Festival, which reinforces the brand from year to year. However, this requires special studies, archive researches and assistance of historians. Otherwise, the brand may blur away. Actions on the formation of gastronomic tourist destinations are taken in Komi, where a special program is being implemented. Yulia Rybakova, the head of the Tourism Agency of the Republic of Komi believes that the time has come to replace the foreign fast food with traditional dishes, turning, for example, the local komi-shanga into a gastronomic brand.

The annual ethnic festival "People of the forest" can become a tool for creating the regional cuisine. It includes the "Komi-lunch" restaurant event, the City Picnic; Komi-shanga Festival; the contest of Komi cuisine recipes and "Komi-fast food" promotion. But Veliky Novgorod has already completely decided on its own gastronomic brand: these are imprinted Novgorod Gingerbread and "Nikola" kvass." The gingerbread trade was very prestigious in Novgorod as far back as in the 9th century, Andrey Vasilyev, the Head of marketing department of the "Krasnaya Izba” Development Center said. – The history of kvass production is not shorter. We regularly present these gastronomic brands on domestic and foreign exhibitions and presentations, and people, who try them, start associating kvass and gingerbread with Veliky Novgorod."