Ministry of Natural Resources suggests allocating another RUB 700 mln for Arctic eco-tourism

Ministry officials have proposed spending these funds on the establishment of scientific, tourism, and expeditionary facilities in the Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya archipelagos, TASS news agency reports citing Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sergei Donskoy.

“The first stage involves setting up scientific, tourism, and expeditionary facilities on Heiss Island in the Franz Josef Land archipelago and on North Island in the Novaya Zemlya archipelago prior to 2019”, Donskoy said in comments on the proposal to develop infrastructure for eco-tourism in the Arctic region.

The second stage of the programme will consist of the design and construction of a multifunctional scientific research vessel as well as a visitor’s centre for the Russian Arctic National Park, he said. It would be advisable to raise the issue of funding for this stage after the first stage is included in the project identification summary, Donskoy said.