Author: Interview by Fuad Safarov, exclusively for VK
Executive Director of the Association of Russian Tour Operators commented on prospects of the Northern Caucasus Resorts in an interview with VK
- A year ago the Northern Caucasus Resorts Company was established. It currently supervises construction of five ski resorts in Dagestan, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia and Adygeya which will be built by 2020. Experts have different opinions on purposefulness of the NCR’s activities. Some see big prospects for tourism development in the North Caucasus. Others insist that security problems should be resolved before building resorts. What is your opinion on the issue?
- The potential of Caucasian resorts is doubtless, it is indeed great. Not only should the ski resorts be developed, but climatic, balneal, even sea resorts, such as the ones in Dagestan, should be developed. But the problem is security, it is the key and principle issue. Realization of the enormous potential of the region without resolving security issues is impossible.
- How viable is authorization of the Northern Caucasus Resorts to supervise construction of new resorts in the Caspian and Black Seas and the Kavkazskiye Mineralniye Vody?
- Any grand structure is hard to manage. Besides, certain constructive links and a system for cooperation in the Kavkazskiye Mineralniye Vody, the resorts of the Black and Caspian Seas has formed in the last decade. It takes valid reasons to change the system. There are no such reasons at the current stage.
- What were the most popular countries for Russian tourists this year?
- According to the rating of the most popular countries for Russian tourists, there have been no changes. Turkey, China, Egypt, Finland, Thailand. Then a closely connected group of Mediterranean states: Greece, Spain, Italy.
