Far East focusing on developing ski tourism and active recreation

The session ‘Narrowing the Gap with the Far East: Ski Tourism and Active Recreation’ was held in mid-February as part of the ‘Let’s Travel!’ Sustainable Tourism Development Forum. The session was organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Centre for the Development of the Ski Industry and Tourist Territories autonomous non-commercial organization.

The Russian Far East continues to reveal its potential as a unique destination for ski tourism and active recreation. Each year, the region attracts more and more tourists thanks to the combination of its picturesque mountain landscapes and well-developed infrastructure for winter sports.

The discussion addressed prospects for the development of ski tourism in the region, the sustainable development of infrastructure, the preservation of the natural environment, as well as the creation of new jobs in the tourism sector.

General Director of the Centre for the Development of the Ski Industry and Tourist Territories Ilya Vinogradov, who moderated the session, said the Roscongress Foundation and the Centre want to ensure a comprehensive approach to the development of the ski industry that will enable the regions of the Far East to not only attract tourists, but to also create new opportunities for economic growth.

Maria Badmatsyrenova, Deputy Director of the Investment Department of the Far East Development Corporation, noted the huge contribution that has been made to supporting ski resorts in the Far East: “As I already noted, almost all of our largest resorts – Gorny Vozdukh, Holdami in the Khabarovsk Territory, Khekhtsir in Khabarovsk, and Arsenyev, a resort that is currently being built in the Primorsky Territory – are all being built using the mechanisms offered by our preferential regimes with [additional] support. This includes preferential loans, the creation of supporting infrastructure, and the reimbursement of investors’ expenses on infrastructure. So, the synthesis of the state and business is crucial here for accelerating the start of the implementation of these projects and for higher quality service. Because we all know perfectly well that for some ski tourism is a sport, while for others it is simply a way of life.”

Despite active work to make the Far East more recognizable as a destination for active recreation, Kamchatka has not yet realized its full potential in terms of ski tourism. Most of the facilities were built as sports complexes, but they do not have sufficient tourist infrastructure. In particular, they lack changing rooms and catering facilities. In addition, there is the problem of combining sports training and amateur skiing. Safety requirements prohibit amateurs from being on the slopes when professional athletes are training there. To solve this problem, it is essential to split up these groups and invest in the creation of new slopes.

Please visit the main page of the website for a link to the broadcast of the business session.