Yesterday the head of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources Alexander Kozlov paid a working visit to Sochi. Representatives of government, business and public environmental organizations met at one site to discuss strategies for the development of ecological tourism in specially protected natural areas.
“There is an order from the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on the development of the tourism industry, and our colleagues in the Government are now developing a national project “Tourism”. Let's discuss what we can give this national project. I am sure that our specially protected natural areas have something to show. Specially protected natural areas are the property of the whole country. Representing the interests of the state, we must preserve it for future generations. But it is also necessary to give the opportunity to people living in our country or coming to us to see it. Ecological tourism is humane when neither man nor nature suffers. This balance is very difficult to maintain, but it is necessary to do that,” said Alexander Kozlov, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia.
During the meeting, the participants discussed the issue of "fragmentation" of the development of natural areas.
The participants agreed that everyone will prepare their own proposals, which will be accumulated in the Ministry of Natural Resources. Following that a single report will be created and submitted it for discussion within the framework of the development of the national project «Tourism".
There are 228 specially protected natural areas of federal significance in Russia: 106 reserves, 62 national parks and 60 sanctuaries. Last year they were visited by almost 7 million tourists. Both the Sochi National Park and the Caucasian Nature Reserve were in the TOP-10 in popularity: over a million people visited Sochi, and more than three hundred thousand - the Caucasus.
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