ST.PETERSBURG (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th March, 2020) The worldwide spread of rampant coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is unlikely to cause any significant financial hardship to or change the agenda of the Russian state museum complex Tsarskoye Selo, its director Olga Taratynova said in an interview with Sputnik.
As the deadly epidemic crosses continents, many countries shut down their major tourist attraction sites in a bid to prevent the spread through mass gatherings. The St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican closed earlier in the day, France's Louvre began limiting the number of entries, and the Vienna State Opera suspended all performances till the end of March. Located just outside St.Petersburg, the Tsarskoye Selo ensemble of parks and palaces is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Russia.
Taratynova said the museum "did not change any of [its] plans, including [its] budget, because of the coronavirus," and would instead strive to come up with creative ways to handle the current situation.
"I don't see anything wrong with thinking 'outside the box.' It means you need to learn how to make money differently," she said, adding that the museum was "ready to open new exhibitions and come up with new tourist routes to attract new categories of visitors."
According to her, Tsarskoye Selo retains high demand even during low touristic seasons and is ready to make efforts for adapting to any economic situation.
The toll of infected people worldwide has now exceeded 115,000 and more than 4,000 died from the disease. The virus has spread to more than 100 countries since having emerged in China in December.
