Often a lack of security is considered as an obstacle for development of tourism in the North Caucasus. Tourists consider the North Caucasus not only unsafe, but also expansive and uncomfortable due to lack of service and transport infrastructure, a mess with agricultural and recreation lands. Such conclusions can be made after interviewing of several potential investors and tourists.
According to majority of experts, development of tourist is prevented by extremism, criminality, shadow economy, militants, and corruption. It is difficult to establish a business without bribes to local clans and bureaucrats. At least it was so until recent times. However, the authorities hope that development of tourism will displace these difficulties.
The main infrastructural problem is reconstruction of the federal highway “Kavkaz.” Because of the overflow of Dagestanian part of this road a lot of people die there every day. Moreover, tourism cannot develop without reconstruction of Makhachkala airport.
Political will of the federal center is needed for settlement of these problems. At the moment the head of Dagestan, Magomedsalam Magomedov, developed a transparent scheme for implementation of projects with various forms of state stimulating. And major investors are involved into the projects. For development of the tourist branch, private property should be launched in recreation and agricultural lands. Investments to foreign rented land increase risks.
There are various reasons for Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia poorly participate in the tourist cluster project. Bureaucrats do not believe in possibility of constructing international resorts in these republics; investors prefer calmer regions, like Karachay0Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria and North Ossetia.
Dagestan has the biggest potential of resort resources and natural conditions. It is planned to build sporting and tourist infrastructure near Kaspisk by 2018 within the project “New City.” 43 billion rubles will be spent on it. The investor of the project is NAFTA Moscow, which belongs to Suleyman Kerimov. The project is a ground for promoting Dagestan as a candidate for holding III summer youth Olympic Games in 2018.
Musa Musayev, Makhachkala. Exclusively to VK
