Lake Baikal in Siberia currently attracts visitors looking for peace and quiet, but ambitious plans are underway to turn the area into a major tourist destination.
The "Baikal-Kotokel tourist and recreation zone" will stretch along 94 kilometres of Baikal coast and host five-star hotels, spa centres, a port for cruise ships, a mountain ski resort, casinos and night clubs. The government hopes investors will be attracted to this free economic zone with more liberal financial laws and the promise of new infrastructure.
But ecologists are concerned about plans to turn Baikal into a mass tourism destination and warn large numbers of visitors could damage the fragile ecosystem. Joanna Partridge reports for Reuters. SOUNDBITES:
Anatoly Dumnov, Head of the local branch of the federal agency in charge of Buryatia free economic zone, saying (Russian):"We think that the flow of tourists we have today is very small and that Baikal-Kotokel area can accommodate much more tourists than we have today. Foreign tourists are interested in Baikal and domestic tourism has been growing fast in the recent years. But there are no good comfortable places to accommodate these tourists. And there is no good service as well."
Vladimir Klimentyev, Local resident, saying (Russian):"I support the idea of construction of this recreation zone. Because after the forestry here was closed there wasn't anywhere to work and young people cannot find jobs."
