The Moscow Committee for Tourism and the Hospitality Business is planning to create a special police department for tourism to help foreign visitors orientate themselves in the Russian capital.
These types of police units are now commonplace in many European countries. There is a strong possibility that these units will be patrolling the streets of Moscow as early as 2012.
It is reported that the police uniform for the tourism department will differ from the usual police uniform, although the actual design has not been discussed in any detail as yet. It is also known that the Moscow Committee is planning to recruit people who are over 35 years old, in the belief that older people will have more experience and have a better knowledge of how to react to different situations. The special police officers will have a detailed knowledge of Moscow’s tourist sites and be able to answer the most common questions foreign visitors are likely to ask.
According to the plan of the Moscow Committee, the presence of special tourist services will increase the attractiveness of the capital for foreign visitors.
Hey There Justgorussia,
Maybe a little off topic, however, maybe officially, but this does not include 2 important things in my view. 1) the army – that must cost a bloody fortune, all those marching bands, spangly uniforms etc (although i have no problem with this, V British and brings in the tourists) and crucially, her and her families security – The Met. Police has it’s own department dedicated to Royal protection and she also has security provided by local forces and no doubt army special forces. i.e. she visited somerset last year (where i live) and my cousin is a PC here who was tasked to something called “route protection” (standing next to the road where her motorcade was driving) and he said the security bill for Avon and Somerset Constabulary alone for the 2 day visit was £35,000 (including prior planning and searches etc)
So, if you add in the amount spent by the army and the police, i reckon you could double that £40 mil – i have no problem with it really, it’s still goodish value i suppose and she needs the security i suppose, but i just think they should be more realistic with the figures.
Thx.