The Minister of the Russian Federation for North Caucasus Affairs Lev Kuznetsov in the course of his working trip evaluated the preparation of Arkhyz ATRC to mountain skiing season 2016/2017. The head of the Federal Agency was accompanied in the trip by Rashid Temrezov, the Head of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, and Oleg Gorchev, the Director General of JSC NCR. The delegations presented new facilities of the resort which are being developed by JSC NCR and the residents Arkhyz ATRC. After that the guests tested the slopes that had been ready for skiing by using artificial snowing systems already at the end of November.

Following the inspection results Lev Kuznetsov noted that the resort Arkhyz ATRC is   in full readiness for the skiing season. ‘During this winter season both tourist villages will operate at full design capacity, new service and leisure facilities will open. All this should ensure a long-term stay of tourists at the site, which is among our priority tasks,” the Minister said. He also emphasized that tourism, including skiing, is one of the key drivers of economic development of the region as a whole and Karachay-Cherkessia in particular. ‘Not so long ago I reported about our achievements to the President and to the Chairman of the Government and received support of our chosen strategy for priority assistance to the tourism industry of the North Caucasus,’ he added and noted that the main indicator of the demand for the resort is the tourist flow and the amount of tourists who are willing to return to Arkhyz every year. ‘We have formed a sustainable image of a dynamically developing and modern resort but we cannot rest on it and stop: our key task is to develop,’ Lev Kuznetsov claimed.

In the opinion of Rashid Temrezov, the Head of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Arkhyz is ready to visits of tourists. ‘The resort is developing according to the plan, the tourist flow is growing from year to year. People come back, what means that they like everything. This is the main result of any our work. Now it is important to wait for the necessary weather, which, based upon today’s forecast, will not be long in coming,’ noted the head of the region.

Oleg Gorchev, the Director General of JSC NCR, confirmed that ski runs are ready to be opened for tourists as early as in the first decade of December. ‘Already today Lev Vladimirovich could descend “Milky Way” ski run and make sure it was ready. The level of artificial snow covering already enables to ski and we need only a few snow days to be able to open the ski runs for guests in good operating mode. We are really looking forward to favorable weather conditions in the near future,’ said Oleg Gorchev. He also added that this year JSC NCR had conducted a considerable work for providing the residents’ facilities with engineering infrastructure. ‘Many of them are finalizing the design, performing building and construction works and in the nearest seasons the facilities will be put into commission. This will increase the opportunities of accommodation in close vicinity to the lifts and will provide the choice of leisure activity during vacation at the resort. This is especially significant in view of upcoming expansion of a skiing area after construction of facilities at the north-facing slope which design has been finished the current year,’ emphasized the head of JSC NCR.

The Minister was also presented a large restaurant and entertainment complex Tramplin-1650 for 720 seats which will start to serve customers in the coming skiing season. A café of a restaurant type, a contact bar with fast food servicing, a karaoke bar, a grill bar and a restaurant, bowling with a bar and an entertainment area will operate within this facility. The owner of the company Tramplin-1650, Oleg Ivanov, reported that the important stage of support for his project was a subsidy assistance of the credit interest rate which his company received among the first residents of Arkhyz SEZ. ‘We received the subsidy in November. It became a good help amid the crises at the final stage of the project implementation,’ said the resident of SEZ.

During his working trip Lev Kuznetsov also evaluated the quality of the parking area at the territory of Lunnaya Polyana tourist village which commissioning is scheduled for December of this year.

‘The parking areas with asphalt-concrete surfacing amount to more than 3,000 m². The capacity of two parking areas is 1,130 parking places, including the places for cars of people with limited mobility. The third parking area for 30 places is provided for arrangement of passenger pickup and drop-off by buses. Here the passenger shelters will be located. Throughout the entire territory of the parking areas video surveillance system will work,’ said Natalia Zvereva, the Director of the Directorate for Construction of JSC NCR.

The promenade for tourists will be also created ensuring the pedestrian walkway between Romantik and Lunnaya Polyana tourist villages. The length of the pedestrian zone will be 1,100 meters.