KISLOVODSK, October 29 (Itar-Tass) — Residents of the North Caucasian Federal District will be first visitors of new resorts in South Russia on the first stage of the development of the tourist cluster project, presidential deputy plenipotentiary representative to the North Caucasian Federal District Maxim Bystrov said.
Speaking at a panel discussion, “Major Resorts of the NCFD – Risks and Possibilities”, within an inter-regional forum currently under way in Kislovodsk, Bystrov said the infrastructure was ready to accept foreign tourists.
There are a series of famous tourist brands: Dombai, Elbrus and Arkhyz. “There are people who have always visited them and continue visiting. Cars from different Russian regions – Belgorod, Voronezh, Moscow, St Petersburg and our republics – can be seen in Arkhyz, for example,” he said.
At the same time, the presidential deputy plenipotentiary representative said he is convinced that six airports in seven regions “are our advantage”. This view is upheld by acting director general of North Caucasian Resorts Islam Nazaraliyev saying, “The brand of North Caucasus is well-known to Russian citizens.” According to the North Caucasian Resorts, Russians will be major clients of the tourist cluster. Residents of the North Caucasian republics and the nearest neighbours reach at least 20 percent, Nazaraliyev said, adding, “This is prevalent practice when residents themselves are the main source of demand.”
However, Italian honorary consul to the NCFD and the Southern Federal District Pierpaolo Lodigiani said, “We cannot be only directed at Russians because citizens of other countries can also show interest in the new North Caucasian resorts.” “It is also necessary to stake on foreign tourists,” he stressed.
The Italian consul said when he ascended Dombai in 1994 there were four German tourists on the mountain. He added that he regularly met foreign snowboarders and alpine skiers at the Mineralnye Vody international airport. He also met young people who sought to climb mountains in the Caucasus.
The North Caucasian Resorts create a large-scale project to build new alpine skiing resorts such as Lagonaki (Krasnodar Territory, Adygeya), Arkhyz (Karachai-Cherkessia), Elbrus-Bezengi (Kabardino-Balkaria), Mamison (North Ossetia), Matlas (Dagestan), Tsori and Armkhi (Ingushetia), as well as beach resorts in the Caspian Sea, Dagestan.