As many as 25 hotels with almost 4,000 rooms will open in St Petersburg by 2010. As was announced at a meeting of the city administration, nine hotels with 1,350 rooms will open already this year, and another 16 hotels with 2,581 rooms next year.

St Petersburg is currently carrying out 172 hotel projects for over 15,000 rooms. New hotels will bear the brands of Le Meriden, Sheraton and W (all by Starwood), Four Seasons, Sokos, Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza (the latter two by Intercontinental), Courtyard by Marriott, Domina Hotels & Resorts and Park Plaza.

This year, the city administration intends to investment about RUR97mn ($4.15mn, or €2.61mn) to develop St Petersburg’s tourist potential. The money will be used to represent the city at international tourism exhibitions, to create comfortable information environment for potential tourists, to publish brochures and advertise the city abroad.