DOI: 10.25136/2409-868X.2024.3.70018

Abstract: After the end of the Civil War, a new type of hotel enterprise appeared in Soviet Russia – the Peasant's House. The first Peasant's House was opened in 1922 in Moscow. The experience of its operation was recognized as successful and regional Peasant Houses began to open throughout the country. In Nizhny Novgorod, the Provincial Peasant's House began its work in 1925. His task was to serve the peasants coming to the city. They were provided with a hostel and meals. The peasants received legal assistance, various references and advice on various issues. Political and educational activities were also provided for peasant walkers: excursions, radio broadcasts, visits to the library. Lectures, reports, debates, question and answer evenings, as well as individual conversations were held in the Peasant's House. From the first years of the Peasant's Houses, the Soviet government sought their transition to full self-financing. The paper provides an analysis of the main directions of development of the Nizhny Novgorod Provincial Peasant House in the 1920s. The article is based on the materials of the Central Archive of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Regional Archive (TSANO), periodicals, scientific literature. The article uses historical-systemic and historical-comparative methods, as well as general scientific methods such as description and comparison. The conducted research showed that the Nizhny Novgorod Provincial Peasant's House was in a difficult situation in the 1920s. Like any new business, the organization and activity of the Peasant's House faced considerable difficulties. The normal activities of the Peasant's House were hampered by material problems. The residential premises provided by the government needed major repairs. The subsidies allocated for political and educational work were not enough. The situation changed only in the early 1930s, when the government decided to build new buildings for peasant Homes.

DOI: 10.25136/2409-868X.2024.1.69582

Abstract: The market reforms that began in the late Soviet period and continued after the collapse of the USSR radically changed the country's hotel industry. The changes have affected literally all aspects of the industry. Similar large-scale changes were already taking place in the hospitality industry at the beginning of the twentieth century, after the socialist revolution of 1917. Therefore, it is interesting to find out how the young Soviet state, in the most difficult conditions of the civil war and foreign intervention, was able to practically rebuild the country's hotel industry. Because of this, the experience of hotel construction in the first two decades of Soviet power can be useful. The subject of the research in this article was the development of hotel enterprises in Nizhny Novgorod, such as communal hotels, "Peasant Houses", night shelters during this period.  The paper provides an analysis of the main directions of development of the Nizhny Novgorod hotel industry from 1918 to 1939. The article is based on materials from regional archives (TSANO and GOP NO), periodicals, and scientific literature. The article uses historical-systemic and historical-comparative methods, as well as general scientific methods such as description and comparison. The conducted research showed that the hotel industry of the city was in a difficult situation by 1918. The change in the social system in the state, the decline in the standard of living of the population, and the refugees provoked a crisis in the hotel industry of Nizhny Novgorod. The mass closure of enterprises was avoided only by nationalization and municipalization of enterprises. The opening of the Peasant's House in 1925 was able to alleviate the acute shortage of hotel stock for a short period. But in the 1930s, due to the growth of foreign tourism, the problem of a shortage of high-class hotels worsened. The construction of the Volna, Rossiya and Intourist hotels partially solved this problem. But for ordinary Soviet citizens, hotels are still inaccessible. At the same time, the level of service was at an extremely low level.

DOI: 10.25136/2409-868X.2022.4.37850

Abstract: The subject of the study is the study of the development of tourist and excursion business in the Nizhny Novgorod province in the first decade of Soviet power. The purpose of the work is to analyze trends in the development of tourism, contradictions between commercially oriented tourism and the ideology of Soviet power. The article describes the first tourist and sightseeing routes. A detailed description of long-distance excursions to the resorts of the Crimea and the Caucasus, as well as to the industrial centers of the country is given. The role of trade unions in providing benefits when paying for vouchers is indicated. The methodology of the work is based on the principles of historicism and objectivity, as well as a systematic approach that allows a comprehensive examination of the subject under study. The novelty of the scientific work lies in the identification and generalization of historical sources, the involvement in scientific circulation of archival data showing the activities of the Excursion Bureau of the Nizhny Novgorod Province in the period under study. The conducted research showed that tourist and excursion activities, despite its important role in the ideological propaganda of the Soviet government, were characterized by insufficient funding. Attempts to commercialize this type of activity, to achieve the possibility of making a profit have not been successful. The reason for this was the low incomes of the population (therefore, trade unions had to subsidize tourist trips), and the ideological orientation of this type of activity. Therefore, with the beginning of the "Stalinist modernization" of the country and the end of the NEP, the concept of the so-called "proletarian tourism", with its idea of organizing a voluntary society of amateur tourism, is becoming increasingly popular.