Tourism: history in three projects
Numerous ratings in the
field of tourism and hospitality have placed the Yaroslavskaya Oblast very high
on the tourist potential scale. Back in 2010 Yaroslavl was among the first
regions in the country to have worked out a tourism development regional target
program. The program provides for a maximal active enticement of private
investments into the tourism industry and complex development of the territory
based on the principles of a joint government-private sector partnership.
Possibly, the projects such as ‘Zolotoye koltso’ resort, ‘Yaroslavskoye
vzmorye’ and historic-cultural complex ‘Vyatskoye’ would be the most colourful
examples of the implementation of the tourism development regional program.
Russian Baden-Baden
The ancient merchant
village of Vyatskoye is located 38 kilometres from the central Yaroslavl. It is
situated on the coast of the Ukhtomka river, five hundred metres from an
artificial reservoir, in one of the ecologically cleanest and most significant
parts of the Yaroslavskaya oblast - Nekrasovskoye. Just seven years ago none of
the Vyatskoye residents could even imagine that their half-demolished and
‘perspectiveless’ village will start coming back to life and become known
across Russia, thanks to one specific investor-enthusiast.
Vyatskoye village
rennaisance project is innovative and, as one may call it, unique for the
economy of Russia. It started off as a private story, six years ago, when
Yaroslavl residents Oleg and Larisa Zharovy were looking for a summer cottage.
As a result they ended up choosing an ancient house that once belonged to a
merchant named Galochkin in the Vyatskoye village - with lions and fretwork in
the front. Shortly, the Zharov family discovered another fifty destroyed architectural
monuments and a large Voznesenskiy cathedral, that has held services since
1750, next to their house. From this moment on Vyatskoye became the main
project of their life.
Now there is a
historical-cultural complex: hotel; restaurant; seven museums. The Zharov
family has already bought and refurbished thirty out of fifty-three historical
buildings. All of ‘Vyatskoye’s hotel infrastructure has been placed in the
refurbished 19th century buildings, which creates that ancient village
atmosphere.
Back in the day Vyatskoye
used to be occupied by ‘otkhodniki’ - peasants who travelled into the city for
seasonal work. They were excellent roofers and modellers, therefore they were
getting invited into the brigades that were working with the best architects of
St-Petersburg. The villagers were returning from the city not only with money
and gifts, but also with ‘designer ideas’. That is why there are so many housed
in Vyatskoye with lions, angels and coats of arms. At the ‘Museum of the
Russian enterprise’ one may find a large collection of refined utensils, home
appliances (such as a washing machine made out of oak) and outstanding
technical novelties: music boxes; phonographs; adding machines; and other
attributes of a weathy lifestyle. Also, here one can find one of the best
jukebox collections in Europe.
‘In the next few years, the
village is set to become the Russian analogue of Baden-Baden or Karlovy Vary.
Our Vyatskoye is no worse than the small towns abroad, - Oleg Zharov states. -
There are now 7 museums functioning here and 3 more coming up. There are also
springs with healing water and pier for the yachts at the lake, and all kids of
Russian fun fares with an old carousel and Russian sauna, ‘Black style’.
Even the president shares
his confident views. In 2012 the author of the Vyatskoye reconstruction project
Oleg Zharov received a National award from the president ‘For contribution to
the revival and development of traditional cultural and historical values’.
During the award ceremony it was particularly noted that the laureate is
implementing the village revival project wihtout any help from the government.
Only in the first three years of work on ‘Vyatskoye’ 247 million roubles were
invested.
The businessman has no
intention of stopping at what he has achieved. He suggests that the development
a large-scale project and increase in incoming tourists may be facilitated by
an expansion of the cultural-historical complex across the whole of the
Nekrasovskoye levoberezhye territory. Other investors have followed Zharov down
here. The Tashir group is actively carrying out refurbishment of Yaroslavskaya
oblast’s architectural gem - the house of a merchant of the first guild, ‘The
treacle king of Russia’ Nikita Ponizovkin. The launch of the ‘Ponizovkino’ complex
is scheduled to take place in 2014. In just one year the volume of private
investments into the project came up to over 150 million roubles.
It is further planned to
include into the project the ‘Abakumtsevo’ museum of literature - a branch of
the N.A. Nekrasov National museum-sanctuary in the Greshnevo and Abakumtsevo
villages, as well as the Memorial home-museum of the sculptor A.M. Opekushin in
the Rybnitsa village. At present they are owned by the regional government.
In general, the example of
‘Vyatskoye’ demonstrates the possibility of developing new tourist directions,
while reviving cultural-historic heritage. Apart from that, a new structural
market - that of historical real estate - is being formed in Russia. Its
potential is enormous: tens of thousands of monuments of architecture across
the country are lying in ruins. Transferring these to private enterprises,
which would take care of their restoration, will one the one hand free the
goverment from the budget financing obligations, on the other hand it would
give them new functional meaning.
Sea resort in the middle strip
‘Yaroslavskoye vzmorye’ is
a unique leisure resort zone in the European part of Russia. The project
provides for a complex development of the Rybinskiy district of the
Yaroslavskaya oblast with an area of more than 100 sq. metres.
Harmonical combination of a
European-standard infrastructure and wonderful untouched nature just might
place ‘Vzmorye’ in the top ten of the best Russian resorts, and even allow it
to take a decent spot on the world tourist market.
Rybinskoye sea - is the
largest water entity in Central Russia. All the other coastline water objects
in this region (reservoirs outside if Moscow, Seliger and Plescheyevo lakes,
etc.) have been occupied by all sorts of various projects, so there is little
to dispute as to a fully-fledged complex development of these territories.
While the territory on the coastline of the Rybinskoye sea has a large
potential specifically in terms of complex development and as far as its
recreational characteristics it can be compared to resorts in Slovenia and
Marble sea, Yurmala in the Baltics.
The launch of a club-hotel
‘Heliopark bukhta Koprino’ in 2010 has become a starting point for the project.
All of the conditions for leisure with a European standard of service and
entertainment have been put in place at the hotel: restaurants and bars; night
club; animation programs; room-service; bathing complex; sports hall and modern
electronic appliances rental. As for the yacht-club harbor, situated in a close
proximity to the hotel, it has the capacity to take in yachts and motor-boats
of any sizes.
At present around 2 billion
roubles have been invested by an anchor company into the project development.
It is estimated that by the completion of the project 15 billion will be
invested into the creation of Yaroslabskoye vzmorye. The ‘Agranta’ company that
has put the project together, is intending to consequentially lead a complex
development of the territories. Therefore the investor’s plans include not only
construction of a cottage village but rather a creation of of fully-fledged
infrastructure with shopping centres, sports complex, concert-exhibition hall
etc. Roads, yacht-club, golf course, and even a school for the children of those
who is planning on living permanently on the coast of the Rybinskoye sea.
‘Yaroslavskoye vzmorye’
must become an all-season tourist and business centre with a high standard of
services and infrastructure, which shall provide for all the business and tourism
requirements. The territory has a great potential for the development of
internal tourism, as well as for the intake of foreign travellers. The project
has all the neccessary requirements - a large area, rich hostorical and
cultural heritage and wonderful untouched nature, - as affirmed by the head of
the ‘Koprino-Yaroslavskoye vzmorye’ project Dmitry Rodionov. - Apart from this
we have a rather large market of demand - Moscow with a population of 15
million people who do not know yet that there is a sea 300 kilometres from the
capital. And there is absolutely no need to fly thousands of kilometres by
plane in order to have a nice vacation.
Indeed, the Rybinskiy
reservoir coastline and the river Volga allow to develop a variety of types of
tourism. Starting with sea and river cruises, beach leisure, sailing and
yachting sports, fishing, boats and motorboats, and ending with windsurfing and
kiting. Relict woods on the territory of the ‘Yaroslavskoye vzmorye’ are full
of animals and birds, that should attract amateur hunters. There are also many
spots with untouched wild nature, which means ideal conditions for eco-tours.
As for the rich history of the ancient village of Koprino, it will leave those
who appreciate excursionist tourism in awe.
According to the official
polls, an interest in internal tourism has been growing among Russians.
Therefore perspectives of the ‘Yaroslavskoye vzmorye’ - one of the few projects
in Russia capable of competing with resorts abroad - are extremely high.
Golden ring of amusements
Two years ago 130 km away
from Moscow construction of the ‘Zolotoye koltso’ resort has begun. And it was
literally - in an empty field. Today just a few kilometres away from Pereslavl
contours of the future tourist complex can already be seen clearly. By 2013 the
investors are planning to commission a tourist centre, several houses and two
hotels. In general, the project based on a government-private sector
partnership is scheduled for 2017.
In the meantime, the
Pereslavskiy district is mainly a transit one. Only every tenth guest stays
here overnight. Investors have set themselves an ambitious task - to increase
the amount of tourists staying over for a few days. Having studied the European
resorts taht combine historical-cultural tourism and leisure in open waters,
the authors of the concept have managed to adapt it to Russia. Hence in the
next 5 years Pereslavl-Zalesskiy must become the leader among the Zolotoye
koltso towns in terms of the tourist intake - which is estimated to rise from
300 thousand to 1 million people.
Construction of the largest
recreational project in the region is led in the framework of the federal
tourist development target-driven program. 295 million roubles have been
allocated to the project from the national budget. Another 52 million was
invested by the region. The overall volume of investments will come to 12
billion roubles. Financial support for the resort project is provided by the
‘Vneshekonombank’. According to the investors, the payback period of the ‘Zolotoye
koltso’ would be 12 years.
The key part of the resort
infrastructure development in the Pereslavskiy district is a creation of a
network of comfortable hotels of various star-levels. The operator - the
Wyndham hotel network - will be presented by the brands Ramada and Days Hotel
in 4- and 3-star hotels. Construction of the first set of the complex will be
finished at the end of 2012 - Ramada hotel with 203 rooms and a three-star Days
Hotel with 150 rooms will be opened.
A littlen later these will
be followed by a 5-star spa-hotel, 30 luxe-class cottages, footbal pitch, 2
tennis courts, summer stage, bathing complex with 8 various saunas and a lido
pool. A 1000 sq.m. beach complex, a boat station, Russian fairytale-themed
children’s playground, theme park with amusements and water park. And the
highlight of the resort will be a real cherry garden created from the basis of
the renowned novel by A.P. Chekhov.
‘We shall make the
‘Zolotoye koltso’ resort a starting point of the adventure across all of the
historical route, - as affirmed by the CEO of the ‘Zolotoye koltso’ development
corporation Igor Nurmukhamedov. - The region has a huge potential, which we
have only just started utilising. Pereslavl has a high concentration of unique
artefacts of the pre-Christian Rus and historical monuments of previous
epoches. Museums, cathedrals and monasteries are situated in the centre of the
town itself and on the shores of the Plescheyevo lake’.
Facilitating comfortable
leisure zones, beaches, infrastructural and sports objects on the shore of the
lake is another factor that will give an impulse to the development of the
region as a centre of recreation. It is noteworthy that the interests of all
tourist groups will be taken into account while building up the shoreside. For
the youth there will be a beach, kiting, surfing, sports competitions and
animation. For adults there will be sailing trips, cycle routes across the
national park, specially allocated places for observing animals and birds.
All-year round functioning
of the resort is to be provided for by the development of the summer and winter
types of leisure, spa-procedures, entertainment themed events. Further ahead
the intensity of the transit movement passing through the town will be reduced
to facilitate the tourists. The historical part of the town will become a
pedestrian area, which will allow a unitary resort zone: the historical centre
- the shoreside.