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With skiing become ever more popular in Russia the government have announced a £10 billion project to build five new resorts by 2020.
The funding, twice that ear-marked for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, is aimed at bringing mass tourism to the Northern Causasus mountains. Currently around 4,000 tourists visit the region's resorts, such as Krasnaya Polyana every year. The planned expansion is hoped to increase the number to five million skiers in ten years.
Russian new agency, Ria Novosti, have reported that the new ski resorts will amount to 400 million square metres, comprising of 803km of piste and 104,500 hotel rooms. The five new resorts will be built in Matlas (Dagestan), Mamison (North Ossetia), Arkhyz (Karachay-Cherkessia Republic), Lago-Naki (The Republic of Adygea) and Elbrus (The Kabardino-Balkar Republic). Building work is expected to begin in 2011 with the completion date due for the 2020 season.
The Northern Causasus was a traditional holiday destination in 19th century Russia. The stunning panoramic views and some of the highest peaks in Europe and Russia mean the region has great potential to offer top class skiing.
The finalised plans are due to be released in St. Petersburg this coming July.