Officials Hope To Attract Tourists To An Area Known As Russia's Switzerland

12 July - Altai, Russia
1. Wide people in Altai costumes walking
2. Wide people sitting on the ground, watching
3. Close up two Altai men watching
4. Wide men on horses
5. SOUNDBITE (Altai) Gutya Avgusta: "I'm here because El Ouyn is a big holiday. Everyone is happy today, not only our people, but also Kazakhs, Russians, Kyrgyzs, and others. We're happy to be here together with Russian people, and that is why it is a very important holiday. It's also a sports holiday, and is simply a very big day."
6. Wide people in costumes, singing and walking holding hands
7. Mid people in costumes
8. Wide Altai family sitting on the ground beside a fire
9. Close up of an Altai man
10. Close up of a cauldron on fire
11. SOUNDBITE (Altai) Ignat Trusov: "I came to these celebrations because I love my Altai, it is a holy place for me, and I believe in Altai god."
12. Wide of women in costumes singing in Altai language
13. Midof three women, singing
14. Wide of an Altai village
15. Close up of a traditional Altai house "yurta"
16. Wide of the mountains
17. Mid shot of the first vice chairman of the Altai republic government Yuri Antaradonov
18. Close up of Antaradonov's face
19. Close up of Antaradonov's hands
20. SOUNDBITE (Altai) first vice chairman of the Altai republic government Yuri Antaradonov: "In each village, in order to feed tourists, to give them a place to stay, Altai people work as rafting guides and organise horseback riding. If tourism will continue to develop, the life of our people will improve."
21. Wide people on horses crossing a road with passing cars
22. Mid of people on horses, with an Altai man leading
23. Mid of a foul taking mother's milk
24. Close up of the foul
25. Mid shot Altai horseback riding guide helping on of the tourists get down from a horse
26. Wide horses, a man tying a horse to a tree
27. Wide of a river and a raft
28. Close up of the raft on water, people paddling
29. Close up of the rafting guide
30. Close up of the raft's front part, people paddling
31. SOUNDBITE (Russian) rafting guide Pavel Kupriyaev: "Here in Altai, there are lots of beautiful places where there're no infrastructure, no light, no roads, but the beauty is no less than the beauty we see here. And in those places there's no tourism at all."
32. Wide raft on the river, seen through trees
33. Wide raft on the river
34. Wide catamaran on the river
35. Wide raft on the river
36. Wide river and sun
37. Wide river, smoke
38. Wide bridge over the river
39. Wide mountains
40. Mid grass and mountains
LEADIN
In early July, deep in the mountains, the Altai republic of Russia celebrated its national holiday - El Ouyn.
This year was also a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the area voluntarily becoming a part of Russia.
Now many officials hope that Altai will become a bigger tourist destination.
STORYLINE:
More than 50 thousand people, 99 per cent of them native Altaiens, arrived by car, on horseback or by foot, carrying tents and food supply for the four-day celebration.
The official opening took place on July 7th, when delegations from different regions marched around the stage, built in the middle of the mountains.
The parade was followed by horseback riders who unfurled a flag, and lit a fire, on a near-by hill, causing loud applause from the crowd.
People sang and danced, and when tired they went to their tents for a rest before returning to the main stage.
The holiday was a get-together for families, when young people with their spouses were reunited with their parents.
Ignat Trusov came to El Ouyn from the capital of the Altai republic, Gorno-Altaisk, accompanied by his wife and young daughter. The grandparents came as well.


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