Travel Notes

Toll roads come to Russia

In an effort to improve its roads and glean the needed funds, Russia plans to build a network of toll roads and will use the money collected from drivers to develop and modernize other transportation systems, ITAR-TASS news agency said. The first toll roads will open in 1999, said Vitaly Artyukhov, head of the Federal Road Service.

Hermitage opens IBM tech-center

The Hermitage Museum, housing one of the worldÕs greatest  art collections, opened an IBM-designed computer center . Six computers available to all museum visitors contain point -and-click images designed to teach viewers about  the museumÕs collection.One containing  images of art in the Hermitage with a biblical theme, is aimed at people 15 years and older. The other, whose theme is the legendary  stories of antiquity, is aimed at children ages 10 to 13.ÒThe new center is a unique opportunity to show the uses of technology in the sphere of art and cultureÓ, said M. Piotrovsky, the museumÕs director. The opening of the center is at the second stage of a three stage project in which IBM is helping the cash-strapped Hermitage incorporate technology into its collection. The company estimates it will spend $1,5 nb on the project.

By the year 2,000 St. Petersburg could have five new three-star hotels, providing an extra 500-600 rooms if development plans are realized, Estate News reported. There is a real deficit of three-stare hotels  in St. Petersburg. Five listed buildings have been identified as possible sites for hotel accommodation and a special fund has been given the task of seeking investment and potential hotel operators for the scheme. An estimated $50mn will ne needed to develop the five properties. The project is an initiative by the city to boost the hotel market. The authorities understand that the current tax system in St. Petersburg does not help the hotel industry. Therefore investors interested in these properties will be offered local tax breaks during the construction period and for the first few years of the hotelÕs  operation. All the selected buildings are located in the historic center of the city, the most central being a property a stoneÕs throw away from the Hermitage at 22 Moika Embankment.  Statistics from the Committee for External Affairs of the city government  show that the number of tourist coming to St. Petersburg has more than doubled  since 1995. The total number of tourists visiting the city in 1997 was roughly  2,5 mn.