Russia, Tourism
International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics
Saturday, 20.04.2024, 13:27
Moscow launches hotline for tourists
Moscow Call Centre operators will advise on how to pay fares
in the Metro and get to the airport, how to get from one location to another,
and where to rent a bike. They will also provide information on interesting
events and festivals taking place in Moscow and give out the addresses of
museums, stadiums, parks and other attractions. In addition, hotline staff will
assist tourists in the event of emergencies and advise on the addresses and
opening hours of embassies, consulates and visa centres.
The service is currently provided in two languages: Russian
and English. In future, Chinese, French, German and Spanish will also be
available.
The hotline was created by the Moscow Tourism Committee
together with the Moscow IT Department on the basis of the citywide Contact
Centre.
''The number of tourists visiting Moscow is growing every
year, so the Call Centre is an important step to get their feedback. The short
number 122 is easy to remember and takes only a few seconds to dial on your
mobile phone. Call Centre operators provide advice in Russian and English,
which is vital given the growing number of foreign tourists in Moscow. To
establish the Moscow Tourist Information Support Centre, we made use of our
previous experience, including the hotline of the Department of Transport and
Road Infrastructure Development during the 2018 FIFA World Cup,'' said the
Committee for Tourism.
The short number 122 can be dialed from the mobile numbers
of all Russian and foreign operators in Moscow and Moscow Region. The ten-digit
city number +7 (495) 122-01-11 can be dialed from mobile and landline numbers
abroad and in Russia. Calls to both numbers are charged at your
operator's rates.
The hotline currently has a staff of 20, but this number
will grow quickly as the Call Centre's workload increases.
The citywide Call Centre has been operating in Moscow since
2011. It receives over 2.5 million calls each month. Approximately 90 percent
of calls are received by hotlines popular with Muscovites: the Moscow Unified
Information Service, the Unified Control Centre, the unified service for making
doctor's appointments, the Moscow Transport Call Centre and others. It is
one of the most innovative call centres in the world, with around 40-45% of all
enquiries processed by a robot which can answer simple questions and give
updates on the status of applications and complaints. Using a robot reduces
waiting times and eliminates the human factor.