Sochi becomes an all-year-round resort

By Vestnik Kavkaza

Sochi has justified its place in the top 10 Russian cities for tours on March 8th. In the first spring week, the resort was visited by 30 thousand tourists. Hotels were more than 70% full. Mayor of Sochi Anatoly Pakhomov told Vestnik Kavkaza that “the majority of our guests are from Moscow. Historically, Muscovites love Sochi. However, we are working on presentation of Sochi’s capacities in all regions. I have visited many regions, and next week I will visit Rostov, where we will present the capacities of the Sochi resort. Later we plan to visit St. Petersburg and Kazan. We invite everybody! As for our neighbors, it is easy for them to come to us. Come in summer to places where there is the sea; come in summer and winter to places where there is no sea. Welcome!”

At a press conference in Moscow, Pakhomov said that tremendous changes have happened to the resort infrastructure of Sochi: “We were able to make our city a year-round resort and now it works all year round. There is no sense today in talking about the beginning or the end of the resort season in Sochi, because we have a beach resort, we have a mountain-climatic resort and season mountain resort here, and the beach resort season, and, of course, between all of these resorts is the main industry, which is always needed - balneotherapy. We resumed the work at the heart of the resort of Matsesta. About 15-20 years ago there were times when Matsesta was in a very bad condition, almost in ruins, and to be honest, no one thought about balneotherapy, due to very poor logistics. Those people went from the sanatorium to Matsesta, after standing in a traffic jam for 2-3 hours, and of course, they got a bad impression. Today in the city there are no traffic jams, no sirens, the city is absolutely free, and one can “fly” to Matsesta actually. The former glory of Matsesta is returning, and the city is again becoming the heart of balneotherapy resorts.”

Sochi is increasing the logistical base of balneotherapy. “The Road of Health is being reconstructed; at 4.5 km in length, it begins from the stadium and ends under the bridge of Matsesta. The next task is to bring the Road of Health, or Terrenkur, to Matsesta. Pump rooms are being built there,” the mayor said.

There are no traffic jams. “This contributed to the construction of 362 km of roads and 55 bridges,  there are 22 tunnels, which are the pride of our country. Actually, in 2012 at the World Forum of tunnel constructors our project of combined road was called the best. The Canadians said: "We have a lot to learn from Russian roads, Russian builders." Sochi is an environmentally friendly city today. Our sea is the purest, three sewage treatment plants have been built, new deep-water clean-ups. All this gives us an opportunity to say: today we are the most environmentally friendly city,” Pakhomov says.