It's likely that none of the board members of the Arktikugol Trust could have imagined that nearly a century after Barentsburg was bought out, the main source of income on Svalbard would be tourists, not coal. Today, the Russian part of the archipelago has long since mothballed all its mines, and the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic explores ways to reestablish direct communication with the island. Alexei Chekunkov, the head of the Ministry, reported this in late January. According to him, the Ministry is exploring options for launching new air routes and maritime services.

Last year, around 7,000 people visited the Russian part of the archipelago, mostly foreigners. The route is particularly popular among Chinese citizens. Alexey Chekunkov emphasized that visiting Svalbard aligns well with the concept of "red tourism" — Barentsburg, Grumant, and Pyramiden, steeped in Soviet aesthetics, serve as monuments to the heroic labor of Arctic miners and a unique "showcase" of the USSR for Western European countries. Cinemas, Houses of Culture, dormitories, monuments, and steles set against the backdrop of Arctic glaciers leave an impression as indelible as they did in the 20th century. No wonder King Harald V of Norway referred to Pyramiden as the "gem" of the archipelago.

Today, the Russian territory of Svalbard has both abandoned Soviet heritage sites and fully operational hotels, restaurants, museums, and cinemas. In Pyramiden, there's a concert and sports complex that shows old Soviet movies. More than 700 vintage films are available, some in their original edits — what was censored on the "mainland" could have made it to the Arctic settlement in the form envisioned by the director. The library and café have also been restored. For visitors of the island, there are several tour options — you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of mining towns, search for and photograph whales, or go fishing. However, hunting on the island is not recommended, nor is going outside without a firearm. Polar bears roam freely across the archipelago, convinced that they are the true masters of the Arctic. They seem to understand that they are protected by law in addition to their claws and teeth — using weapons in self-defense against them leads to investigations, as poaching is frowned upon in both Russia and Norway.

Svalbard is preparing for tourists and looking forward to their arrival. In 2023, Arktikugol reformed the island's port infrastructure, increasing the potential number of arriving ships. Besides tourists, the settlements could potentially become transportation hubs in the future, thereby improving logistics. Previously, regular airplane deliveries brought food, medicine, and other necessities to the island, but air service has been complicated for the past two years. The management of Arktikugol was able to improve relations with the Norwegians, partially overcoming their prejudices. This has resulted in the establishment of channels for resuming supplies, however, these maneuvers come with increased expenses and challenges. The same holds true for Russian tourists — besides obtaining a Schengen visa, they will need to undertake an almost two-day journey just to reach the archipelago. Initially, one needs to reach Murmansk, then cross the Norwegian border by bus, go to Oslo or Tromsø, and finally take a flight to the Norwegian airfield in Spitsbergen. Then you need to hire a helicopter or a boat to transport you to the Russian part of the archipelago. This is not only expensive and exhausting, but also complicated. The initiative by the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic aims to address this issue, which would significantly boost the amount of visitors.

The agency has specific plans to expand international cooperation in Barentsburg. A successful case of resolving disagreements with Norway has led the country's leadership to consider resuming the "showcase" project, this time as a Russian initiative, not a Soviet one. BRICS partners are also interested in establishing joint scientific centers and laboratories, as well as increasing tourist traffic. India and China, who are actively enhancing their cooperation with Russia in the Arctic region, have expressed their willingness to engage in the dialogue.