The resorts of the North Caucasus created by JSC NCR within the tourism cluster project were presented at the international tourism exhibition Ferien-Messe Wien in Vienna. This project has become a part of presentation of the national tourist product of Russia in the run-up to the cross Russia-Austria Tourism Year in 2017.

‘This event became an important step towards promotion of the tourist potential of Russia both among the professionals of the tourism industry and among tourist audiences. It is very important for us to represent our country within a large-scale presentation of its tourism potential. Already here we see the growing interest of the exhibition guests in visits to Russia, in cooperative work on priority directions of tourism development and related business,’ said Khasan Timizhev, the Director of the Expert Analysis Department of JSC NCR. In his opinion, it is also important to establish a dialogue with the market experts in order to include their experience in implementation of JSC NCR project and in the rapidly growing ski industry of the country as a whole.

During the meeting with the representatives of JSC NCR, the Ski Industry Union and the Ministry of the Russian Federation for North Caucasus Affairs, Taleb Rifai, the Secretary-General of the United Nations' World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) noted that the Caucasus region has an unlimited potential for development of tourism at its territory and is already showing some progress, including through implementation of the large-scale tourism cluster project. According to him, he always keeps track of the situation in the North Caucasus with great interest, as he himself is of the Caucasian (Circassian) origin.

The Executive Director of the Russian Ski Industry Union Vladislav Subbotin, also participating in the events of the exhibition within the Russian delegation, confirmed that an extensive experience of Austria as the founder of ski mountaineering is extremely important in the course of consolidation of ski industry in Russia initiated by the Ski Industry Union with assistance of JSC NCR last year and elaboration of a long-term strategy for development of ski industry in the country. ‘It was important for us to build relations with the key specialists during this event. We thank the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of the Russian Federation for North Caucasus Affairs for such an opportunity,’ he added.

The international tourism exhibition Ferien-Messe Wien took place from January 12 till January 15, 2017. According to the organizers, this year the event gathered about 70 countries and attracted approximately 150 thousand visitors.