Four investment projects from Stavropol Territory will be presented to the 'Sochi 2010' Forum.
The 9th International Investment Forum, 'Sochi 2010', will be held in the 2014 Olympic capital from 16th to 19th September. Stavropol Territory authorities are planning to present several projects touching upon the development of tourism and recreational services in the region.
A Special Economic Zone (SEZ) was established in the region of the Caucasus Mineral Waters (KavMinVodi) in 2007, creating profitable business conditions for the permanent residents of the region. The first project - ‘Grand Spa Utsa’ - has already been launched. ‘Grand Spa Utsa’ is a vast recreational and health complex near the capital of the North Caucasus Federal District (NCFD) – Pyatigorsk. The total sum allocated to the project is 27.8 billion rubles, 133 million
rubles of which has already been spent. Construction of spa-hotels, aquaparks, golf-fields and riding halls is underway.
The new development strategy also stipulates tourist and health business development outside the KavMinVodi region. For example, a nature steppe reserve is to be created in the Manych-Gudilo lake area, which attracts a lot of tourist from abroad as well as from Russia.
Reconstruction of the ‘Rus’ sanatorium near Yessentuki is also planned, as demand for its services has grown considerably recently.
After the reconstruction some 14,000 people will be able visit the sanatorium in a year.
The Economic Development Minister of Stavropol Territory, Yuri Yagudayev, stressed that the KavMinVodi region is at a disadvantage compared to foreign health resorts, despite the fact that it possesses the same recreational and health resources. The obvious reason for
this is lack of infrastructure, and this is the sphere where the main funds are allocated.
Tourism is the most rapidly developing economic sector of Stavropol Territory. In the period 2005-2009 the amount of people choosing to spend their vacations there increased from 100,000 to 750,000.
Stavropol is on the list of Russian regions possessing the highest potential for tourism and recreation.
The revenue from Stavropol's tourism could be increased considerably, and the local authorities are putting all their efforts into creating the best recreation and health zone in the Russian Federation, which will be known and valued abroad.
Lada Ledeneva, KavMinVodi, exclusively to VK
