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First Project on an Arctic Hectare Launched

A programme participant opened a tourist camp in Karelia by the picturesque Lake Urosozero.

10 August 2022

A tourist camp with a berth was opened in Karelia by a Hectare programme participant. Exactly a year ago, when the Far Eastern Hectare programme was extended to cover the Arctic, Ilya Denisov, a resident of Segezha, Republic of Karelia, bid on land by the lake. He used the plot to build tourist cottages and a berth to arrange pleasure boat rides. Ilya spoke to the Far East and Arctic Development Corporation on his experience of participating in the Hectare programme and plans for further development of his tourist project.

'I've always been fond of outdoor recreation and fishing. Our Karelia is beautiful, and it couldn't have been any other way. I've long dreamed of starting my own business that would also be my hobby – a tourist project. I spent several years looking around and assessing the prices, yet land was simply a no go for me; not only would I have to purchase a plot, but I would also have to cover the construction and the project launch, and I didn't have the money. However, I knew I had a chance when the Hectare programme was extended to the Arctic last year; my family and I jumped at it. Today, our camp is welcoming guests,' said Ilya Denisov, a participant in the Arctic Hectare programme.

His family submitted their application for a Hectare online, as soon as the program was launched in Karelia. The relevant authority quickly reviewed the application, but the plot's boundaries had to be slightly adjusted, as they were impinging on a water protection zone. A month later, the plot was made available for use. Ilya also noted that he had previously explored the spot and studied the land to avoid making mistakes and facing problems concerning land development and construction.

'We built two cottages for tourists and set up a berth. In the summer, we opened our camp, named Urosjarvi after the lake. We have already welcomed guests from all over European Russia. It turned out that natural recreation like that is in even higher demand than we expected. Transport accessibility was also an important factor, as our three hectares are located not far from the train station and the Kola federal highway; many people drop by on their way to the North,' Ilya said.

The aspiring entrepreneur plans to further develop the camp. Electrical power will become available here very soon; the contract to that end has already been concluded. The construction of several more cottages will begin after the summer season concludes.

The Hectare programme has been running since 2016 in the Far East; a year ago, in August 2022, it was expanded to cover six Arctic regions. 106,500 people in the Far East and 3,600 in the Arctic have received land under it to date.

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