ARMENIA: Evening excursions to Garni Temple in Armenia. Garni Temple - the only pagan temple in Armenia- is now fitted up with spectacular accent lighting to display the monument at night. Moreover, the surrounding territory is equipped with radio facilities that constantly transmit folk and sacred music. Thanks to this evening lighting now it is possible to arrange excursions to the most popular Armenian monument of antiquity after its gets dark. Here too, tourists can enjoy a theatrical performance which tells and shows a love triangle relationship involving King Trdat, a priestess and an architect. Garni village, famous for its pagan temple of the 1st century, is on the top list of the itinerary for most visitors of Armenia. The Temple is supposedly dedicated to the pagan god of Sun – Mitra. Next to the Temple there are ruins of an ancient fortress and king’s palace, as well as a bathhouse of the 3rd century.

GEORGIA: A new Bazaleti Palace hotel in Tbilisi. One more hotel – a four-star Bazaleti Palace Hotel was added to Bazaleti Hotels Group chain of hotels. It is located in one of the old parts of Tbilisi, Ortachala, in 2-3 kilometres from the city historical centre. The two-storey Bazaleti Palace Hotel offers its guests 63 comfortable, exquisitely designed guestrooms. Each room, with the total floor space of 20-25 square metres, features all modern facilities, including free Internet access (Wifi). The hotel has centralized heating and conditioning system, a comfortable lobby, a bar, a restaurant, a business-centre, fitness centre and other facilities.

AZERBAIJAN: An ecologically clean resort complex to be built in the Caspian Sea. On Zira island in the Caspian Sea, not far from Baku, there will be built an ecologically clean resort complex. The project of the complex, which is to occupy an area of 100 hectares, was designed by Bjarke Ingels Group architects’ bureau from Denmark. Under the project there will be built several 4- and 5-star hotels, 300 de-luxe villas, apartment houses, golf course, and various beach facilities. The silhouette of seven apartment houses will replicate the outlines of seven famous mountains of Azerbaijan. One will be able to get to this ‘piece of paradise’ from Baku by small boats or by helicopter. Under the project the complex will be completely independent of the external energy supply. In particular, there will be erected solar battery, wind farm, and special photoelectric generators to provide additional energy. In addition, there will be constructed rainwater accumulation and waste water treatment systems to secure environmental safety on the island.

TURKMENISTAN: The first projects of Turkmen Avaza tourist zone will be commissioned this summer. The Avaza national tourist zone on the Caspian coast of Turkmenistan is getting ready to welcome the first holiday-makers. Six sanatoriums and holiday centres, with the total capacity of 1500 beds, will be commissioned in June this year. This world class resort is being built on the ecologically clean coast of the Caspian Sea. A great scope of works aimed at development of a vast area of 750 hectares is being accomplished on the eastern Caspian coast. Simultaneously, cultural, recreational and sport facilities, restaurants and bistro cafes are being built. One of the largest projects realized by well-known Turkish companies “Polimeks” and “Ichkale” is the construction of 7-kilometer-long navigable artificial river with running sea water. This unique hydro-engineering construction will cross the whole territory of the resort and will become some kind of a business card of Avaza tourist zone.

UZBEKISTAN: One of the historical streets of Bukhara is being restored in Uzbekistan. Intensive restoration works are currently being carried on in Bukhara. Under these works a section of the historical street which in the past connected the Sheikh Jalal Gate and Registan complex is being restored. Besides, some conservation and restoration of the historical appearance Sheikh Jalal Gate – the construction of the 16th century- is being accomplished at the moment. All the works are done on the basis of historical records. After the restoration the height of the gate will be 11 metres, whereas its width will be 13 metres. The facade of the gate will have two towers with loopholes and four pendentives; inside the facade there will be a dome. Certain works are also being done to conserve and restore the intact fragments of city outer walls 833 metres in length. It is planned to establish 7-metre-wide conservation zone on both sides of the city outer walls. It is expected that on completion of restoration works the gate and the section of city outer wall will make a single whole of defensive fortification. Under the project aimed at restoration of the city old part, Samarkandskaya street, which leads to the famous Lyabi Hauz complex, will become a pedestrian area. Cabs and phaetons will be the only transport to travel back and forth along the street. Besides, a beautiful public garden will appear next to Samarkand Gate.

TAJIKISTAN: In Tajikistan Hyatt Regency Dushanbe Hotel welcomes the first guests. In Dushanbe there has been opened the 5-star Hyatt Regency Dushanbe Hotel– the first hotel of Hyatt Hotels & Resorts international brand in Tajikistan. The hotel was designed by global architectural firm NBBJ (Seattle) in conjunction with HAS Architects Ltd of Istanbul. Internationally acclaimed designers BBG-BBGM (Brennan Beer Gorman Monk Interiors) styled the interiors of the hotel in conformity with Hyatt Regency brand standards and concepts. Hyatt Regency Dushanbe is a 12-storey hotel having 202 guestrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows offering spectacular mountain views of the Hissar range and the new Presidential Palace. All the guestrooms feature modern comfortable interior and are complimented by state-of-the-art technologies: from 37-inch LCD televisions to broadband internet connectivity and heated floors in the bathroom. The dining venue, Foccacia Grill, offers a rich menu of dishes from Mediterranean and international cuisines. Other food and beverage options at the hotel include The Bar and The Lounge. The wine card offers a selection of best kinds of wine, whiskey and vodka. Spa centre of the hotel features 7 treatment rooms, a relaxation room, sauna, Jacuzzi, juice bar with wide choice of fresh juices. The fitness centre offers the guests the services of workout room with state-of-the-art Life Fitness equipment, in-door heated swimming pool and exercise studio for classes in yoga, aerobics, and taekwondo. Besides, Hyatt Regency Dushanbe offers more than 1,400 sq m of conference and banquet space suitable for a large variety of functions from discreet board meetings to large banquets.

KYRGYZSTAN: A new hotel - Park Hotel Bishkek is opened in Bishkek. Park Hotel Bishkek is a new 4-star hotel, which offers its guests world-class service, comfort and hospitality. The hotel is located in close proximity to the cultural and business facilities of the Kyrgyz capital. All 34 guestrooms (5 single, 23 double, 3 deluxe rooms and 3 suite apartments) are perfectly equipped to make your stay in the hotel most comfortable and pleasant: satellite TV, a fridge, air conditioner, safe box, direct telephone, and Internet access. In the restaurant of the hotel the guests can enjoy the dishes of local Kyrgyz and international cuisines. Besides, there is a cozy bar, which offers a wide choice of exotic drinks and cocktails. A conference hall with a seating capacity of 40 people is fully equipped with modern audio-visual facilities and is ideal for business meetings and conferences, whereas business-centre provides various business services including those of a photocopier and facsimile equipment.

KAZAKHSTAN: The Dostyk Hotel reopens its doors after modernization and capital reconstruction. In Almaty, after three years of modernization and reconstruction, the Dostyk Hotel has reopened for hospitality business. Being an architectural monument protected by the state, along with the fifth star the hotel has currently obtained a new content combining 21st-century luxury interior and state-of-the-art technologies. Five-star Dostyk Hotel is located in the very heart of Almaty, in the immediate proximity to the most important business, administrative and cultural centers of the city. The central avenues, museums and theaters, embassies and public institutions, bank and offices, the best shops, restaurants and clubs are located practically a few steps away from the Hotel All 72 guestrooms feature microclimate system, high-speed Internet access, interactive TV screen, direct telephone line, safe-box and mini-bar. Among the hotel facilities there is Spa-centre, fitness centre with Turkish bath, Finnish sauna and a swimming pool. A refined menu and new wine card were elaborated by the best professionals from well-known Alain Ducasse restaurant company. Moreover, the chefs of the hotel restaurant have been trained in Alain Ducasse’s restaurants in Paris. In its segment the Dostyk Hotel offers the best price-quality ratio.

CHINA: The First International Tourist Festival will take place in Ily region of Xinjiang. In June 2009 in the Ily Valley of Xinjiang-Uygur Autonomous Region, there will be organised the First International Tourist Festival. The festival is initiated and sponsored by Tourism Administration of Xinjiang-Uygur Autonomous Region, Tourism administration of Jiangsu province, and people’s government of Ily-Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. The Festival will last one week and will embrace a number of events: the festive salute in the city of Ily, horse race and arrow flight shooting, various national games, horse riding tours in the Tien Shan mountains, and other interesting events. The aim of Festival is to familiarize the tourists with the steppe culture, customs and traditions, as well as unique cuisine of various peoples living on the territory of the prefecture.