MOSCOW, January 7 (Sputnik) Crimea's regional government is in the process of setting up nearly 7,000 signs for tourists for the upcoming summer season, directing visitors to the peninsula to historical and cultural heritage sites, nature preserves, resorts and hotels, Rossiyskaya Gazeta has reported.
Crimea's Deputy Minister of Tourism and Resorts Olga Burova noted that the project has been implemented under the auspices of Russia's Ministry of Culture, and that "the signs are aimed at making tourists' travels to Crimea as comfortable as possible."
The signs, in Russian and in English and featuring QR codes, arrows and distance indicators, are already being set up in Simferopol, Evpatoriya, and in Greater Yalta. The Russian Ministry of Culture has allocated 23.5 million rubles (about $370,000) for the installation of the signs.
A similar project, called "RFQR Sevastopol," is being set up in Sevastopol, with local government and investors dedicating roughly 40 million rubles (about $630,000) to the project. In addition to the installation of signs, the "Open City" project for the Hero City will include the creation of a unified tourism internet portal, as well as interactive information kiosks, to be set up across the city.
Sevastopol's cultural and historical sites will be furnished with 1,050 QR codes, through which tourists will be able to receive detailed information about the city's attractions.
Late last month, the European Union announced a new round of sanctions aimed at Crimea, banning European foreign investment into the region, preventing companies from providing technical and engineering services to Crimean-based businesses, prohibiting European ships from docking at Crimean ports, banning joint ventures and the supply of telecom, transport and energy production-related technologies.
