By Vestnik Kavkaza
Last week the former vice-president of the Olympic Committee of Russia Ahmed Bilalov was dismissed from the governmental commission on socio-economic development of the North Caucasus Federal District. Also President of Russia suggested dismissal of Bilalov from the Board of Directors of the Resorts of the North Caucasus Public Company.
The skiing resort “Armkhi” and its first slope which was opened in the Djeirakh district of Ingushetia do not belong to the Resorts of the North Caucasus. “Almost all regions of the North Caucasus have ski slopes, and in Ingushetia there have never been any slopes,” Leonid Tyagachev, Honorary President of the Russian Olympic Committee, told Vestnik Kavkaza. “What is done is done quickly, but correctly and with love. The cable car fits the bill. There is no shaking. The route length is 1200 m, and the difference is almost 300 meters, that is, this difference by the international rules allows international competition. This is already an achievement. But our goal was to give the people the opportunity to start practicing this sport, tourism and recreation. The development of tourism in general is a big reservoir, unopened, and, of course, one of the small streams will be the ski area. There are new sports events - snowboarding, freestyle skiing, tumbling and others. I'm pleased as a specialist, I am considered an expert in the field of world-class skiing, that it is possible to develop the North Caucasus.”
Among other directions of the resort Tyagachev mentioned mountaineering and cultural tourism: “The greatest number of monuments in the republics of the North Caucasus is here. Here, there is clean air, climate and, of course, the highway, the road that leads to Georgia, near Gudauri, in the future it will allow us to communicate with other regions and countries. Of course, I was lucky in the fact that from an early age I know all ski resorts in the world.”
According to Tyagachev, “we are able to get the Olympics in Sochi, and this allowed us to give a new development across the North Caucasus. And the prime minister and the president of our country supported us, despite large expenditures to attract investors to the North Caucasus, to a powerful tourism with many jobs. You know that ski tourism is hotels. Hotels should be, of course, five-star, and the hotel chain should attract new employees who will serve in restaurants and hotels. This will be the attraction and at the same time training for all people in order to earn a good salary, staying at home and meeting guests, and the traditions that have all the peoples of the North Caucasus, and in Ingushetia there are special traditions. I know the North Caucasus from my childhood, because I spent many years on Elbrus and on Cheget, at all our international competitions. The prospects are for us. The whole world would like to see new resorts. And Ingushetia is one of the particles that will allow our country to develop.”
