Locals will become the majority of visitors of new resorts in Russia’s South at the first stage of development of the North Caucasian Federal District, as stated by Maksim Bystrov, Deputy Plenipotentiary Presidential Envoy to the NCFD, at a forum for discussions of resorts in Kislovodsk, a press release acquired by Vestnik Kavkaza says.
Bystrov pointed out such brands as Dombai, Elbrus and Arkhyz. The latter is visited by tourists from Belgorod, Voronezh, Moscow, Saint-Petersburg.
Seven regions have six airports, which is enough for foreign tourists.
Islam Nazaraliyev, acting Director General of the Northern Caucasus Resorts, noted that the North Caucasus brand was nostalgia for many citizens of the former USSR. The Northern Caucasus Resorts believes that Russians would become the main visitors, 20% of them would come from the North Caucasus and neighbour states.
Pierrepaolo Lodijiani, a general honorary consul of Italy in the NCFD and SFD, expressed confidence that efforts should also be put in attracting foreign visitors. The consul said that he had climbed Dombai in 1991 together with four Germans. He added that foreign skiers and snowboarders were common at the airport of Mineralniye Vody.
