The Russian Ministry of Economic Development has instructed Rostourism to prepare a draft Program for the Development of Cruise Tourism in the Arctic Zone of Russia. This was announced by Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshki at the Arctic Forum in St. Petersburg.
"The program should include proposals for the development of port infrastructure, the creation of routes and programs for tourist activity on the shore, and the promotion of Arctic tourism. Cruise tourism will increase interest in the Russian Arctic on the part of Russian and foreign tourists and will contribute to the sustainable socio-economic development of this territory," the minister noted, the press service of the department reports.
It should be noted that at present there are 228 points in the Russian Arctic that are located in the coastal zone and can potentially receive tourists. Current legislation allows foreign tourist vessels to navigate inland sea waters of Russia only between ports open to entry by vessels flying the flags of foreign states.
As the department emphasized, the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia is working to involve the Arctic territory in tourism activities. Recently, on April 2, State Duma deputies approved in the first reading a bill on the development of cruise tourism in the Arctic and the Far East. The bill proposes to allow the embarkation and disembarkation of foreign tourists on shore in specific ports and points that will be determined by the Government. The adoption of this bill will provide the necessary tools and create more flexible conditions for tour operators when developing cruise tourist routes.
According to the minister, this territory is still an exotic destination, often difficult to access on your own. At the same time, it is attractive for ecotourism and wildlife observation. The bill already creates opportunities for creating interesting routes and increasing the tourist flow.
The department's immediate plans include assessing the necessary volume of investment in infrastructure and investments in display facilities. It will be necessary to equip checkpoints to create opportunities to receive tourists in coastal areas.
Let us recall that earlier the head of the Russian Arctic National Park, Alexander Kirilov, voiced a forecast according to which by 2025 a trip to Franz Josef Land or Novaya Zemlya lasting from three to five days will cost approximately 100-200 thousand rubles per person, which is 3-5 times cheaper than going on a cruise.
Source: trn-news.ru