Published on: 2026-09-25
Source: Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On Zavyalov Island in the Magadan region, the Deputy Chairman of the Government – the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in the Far Eastern Federal District, Yuri Trutnev, held a meeting on the development of tourism in the Far East.
“I wanted not to just talk to the governors about tourism, but to show how this tourism can be organized. Zavyalov Island is a unique territory. Investors have been found who are creating a tourist project here. We helped them administratively, and they completed the declared works. This is truly a beautiful project. Many people who want to get acquainted with the Far East, with Russia, with the most beautiful corners of the country, I hope will be able to visit this island. Tourist trails are being constructed across all regions, including in nine regions under the federal project “Trails of the Far East.” This also helps to develop tourism and get to know the Motherland. There are few projects like the construction of the tourist complex on Zavyalov Island. I asked the governors to be attentive to the places in their regions, the corners of Russia where new wonderful projects can arise and where we can showcase the beauty of Russian land. I am confident that this trip, this joint journey of the regional heads, will help to look at tourism from a different perspective and find something unique in the Far East that we will still create,” said Yuri Trutnev.
Tourism for the Far East is one of the strategic directions of socio-economic development alongside the renovation of Far Eastern cities, the development of new transport corridors, ensuring energy supply for the economy, and the development of technologies. Since 2022, the number of tourist trips to the Far Eastern Federal District has increased by one and a half times. In total, the Far East welcomed 7.5 million tourists in 2025, with two-thirds of the tourist flow traditionally accounted for by three regions: Primorsky Krai, Khabarovsk Krai, and the Republic of Buryatia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has set the task of tripling the tourist flow in the Far East by 2035, reaching more than 12 million tourist trips per year. These targets can be achieved through the development of tourism infrastructure, the creation of competitive support regimes for investors, improving transport connectivity both within the Far Eastern Federal District and with other regions of Russia and countries of the Asia-Pacific Region through the development of small, regional, and mainline aviation and aerodrome infrastructure, as well as expanding visa-free agreements with neighboring states. At the end of 2025, Primorsky Krai entered the top ten regions leading in tourism industry development in the country, taking 7th place with a score of 110.8 in the 11th National Tourism Rating. The region has maintained this result for the second year in a row.
The hotel room stock in the Far East is growing at an outpacing rate. Since 2022, the number of hotel rooms in accommodation facilities of the Far Eastern Federal District has increased by 30% and reached 70.2 thousand units. Over the same period, the Russian Federation’s hotel room stock grew by 17%. In 2025, the number of rooms in hotels in the Far East increased by 9% (+8% across Russia), with an actual increase of 5.7 thousand hotel rooms.
The number of guests accommodated in hotels in the Far East is also showing growth. Since 2022, the number of accommodated guests has increased by 69% — from 2.7 million to 4.6 million people. The leaders in terms of the volume of accommodated guests are also Primorsky Krai, Khabarovsk Krai, and the Republic of Buryatia.
The Far East is becoming increasingly attractive on the international stage; besides China, Mongolia, India, and Asia-Pacific countries show the greatest potential for inbound tourism growth in 2025–2026. The inbound tourist flow for 2025 amounted to 203 thousand people. In the first half of 2026, the tourist flow increased by 77% compared to last year’s figures. Tourism growth is stimulated by the introduction of a visa-free regime with China and supported by a large-scale renewal of hospitality infrastructure.
The main instruments through which the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East supports the implementation of investment projects in the Far East region are the preferential regimes of TOR (Territories of Advanced Development), the Free Port of Vladivostok (FPV), and the preferential regime on the Kuril Islands. Within the frameworks of TOR and FPV, 248 tourism projects are being implemented in the Far East. The total planned investment volume for the implementation of tourist projects under these preferential regimes amounts to 314.8 billion rubles, including 113 projects in TOR with an investment volume of 183.1 billion rubles, and 135 projects in FPV with an investment volume of 131.7 billion rubles. Investors have already invested 75.9 billion rubles. It is planned to create 21,968 jobs, of which 5,813 jobs have already been created. The leaders in the number of residents implementing tourism projects are Primorsky Krai (131), Kamchatka Krai (50), and Sakhalin Oblast (45).
As of September 2026, residents of the TOR and SEZ have implemented (commissioned) 44 projects in the tourism sector, including three projects in 2026 and three projects during 2025. The total investment in these projects amounted to 27.7 billion rubles, creating 2,588 jobs.
In nine regions of the Far Eastern Federal District, a federal project is being implemented to create a unified network of 18 modern ecological and tourist routes called “Trails of the Far East.” The total length of the trails is 126.5 km. The projects for equipping tourist routes (trails) provide for the creation of comfortable and environmentally safe surfaces, construction of visitor centers, arrangement of rest areas, observation platforms, installation of information boards and signs. Seven routes have already been opened in three regions: “Health Trail” (Buryatia), “Big Sukhotin Trail,” “Sacred Path,” “Undugun,” “Kreslovaya Mountain” (Zabaykalsky Krai), “Octopus Trail,” “Russian Bike Trail” (Primorye).
To promote tourism, an all-Russian amateur travel video contest “Far East – Land of Adventures” is being held. Since the contest started, three seasons have passed, and the fourth season is currently underway. In less than four seasons, about 2,000 videos from participants about travel in the Far East and the Arctic have been submitted. This year, the jury has received 342 films from residents of various regions of the country, which is 12% more than in the same period last year.
In the Magadan region, the industry has shown steady growth over the past four years, and the increase in tourist flow to the Magadan region in the first half of 2026 amounted to 54.1% – one of the best indicators in the Far East. Last year, the “number of tourist trips” reached 158 thousand units, which is 9% more than in 2024 (145.5 thousand units).
Within the framework of the national project “Tourism and Hospitality,” annual funding of 30 million rubles is allocated for the development of tourist infrastructure: construction of campgrounds, rest areas, and purchase of tourism equipment. During this period, a total of 19 projects have received support. The “Great Kolyma Trail” project is being implemented, uniting a network of ecological trails of various types (hiking, skiing, combined, cycling, water). The total length of the created tourist trails is 190 km. The project unites 12 routes. In the future, it is planned to expand the hiking network and equip historical locations (Gizhiga – Tauysk, the route of the Cossack explorer detachment led by Mikhail Stadukhin).
According to the head of the region Sergey Nosov, one of the key projects in the tourism sector is the recreational and wellness complex “Talaya”, located in the Khasyn district about 300 km from Magadan, in the taiga zone based on a unique thermal mineral spring. The resort opened in June this year after a complete renovation carried out by the project investor, the first deputy chairman of the Magadan Regional Duma Alexander Basansky.
The health resort was established in 1940, when the healing properties of the Talsky mineral spring and the therapeutic muds of Lake Shchuchye and Lake Nalimnoye began to be used for the health improvement of workers, and for many years it was the main sanatorium of Kolyma. During the large-scale renovation, the architects tried to respectfully approach the history of the complex, preserving the original facades and decorative elements. The extensive revival, including the construction of a new power transmission line, became one of the most capital-intensive infrastructure projects in the region.
The sanatorium includes 4 dormitory buildings accommodating 364 people (157 rooms), a children’s unit for 50 places, two mineral pools with hydromassage, a 25-meter swimming pool, a mud therapy clinic, a salt room, saunas, an ice rink, and a restaurant. The resort operates year-round. For several categories of citizens, discounted vouchers are provided: non-working pensioners pay 10% of the voucher cost; persons with chronic diseases, participants in the special military operation, and other categories pay 30% of the voucher cost.
The implementation of the project to create the tourist and recreational complex “Zavyalov Island,” located 45 km from Magadan, was discussed separately. The project is developing a new direction – expedition and ecological tourism – and could become a pilot site for replicating similar projects on other islands and territories of the Far East.
In 2018 and 2020, herds of muskoxen were brought to the once uninhabited island, snow sheep were released to restore the population, and in the fall of 2025, reindeer were introduced. The first animals have already produced offspring, increasing the population.
The initiator and investor of the tourism and recreational complex project with hotel infrastructure and recreational areas is the company “Expedition-Tour.”
The official opening of the “Zavyalov Island” complex took place in mid-October 2025.
“The project on Zavyalov Island, in order to meet the highest standards, is developing competencies in terms of service and provision of services. The investor plans to implement other projects as well. One of them is related to unique hot springs in the Tavatum River valley. The entrepreneur has a desire to work in the Magadan region because he believes that such projects are necessary and beneficial, and he does it with love, which is the most important thing,” said Sergey Nosov, Governor of the Magadan region.
The island is equipped with a reception and relaxation areas. The main building houses a restaurant, a cinema, and a billiard room. A special pride of the complex is a 17-meter skeleton of a Greenland whale, brought from the shores of Chukotka. The first line of tourist accommodation consists of guest houses. Ecological trails have been laid out for guests, and special places have been created for wildlife observation. Sea fishing and animal watching programs are organized. The territory of the complex is guarded and equipped with video surveillance.
In 2026, the project moved to the second stage of development: the investor began construction of the second phase of residential houses to accommodate guests. The new infrastructure will increase the island’s tourist capacity.
“The sanatoriums ‘Talaya’ and ‘Zavyalov Island’ are beautiful projects. ‘Talaya’ was a completely devastated place just a few decades ago. And now you walk around and are amazed. These are projects that help people relax, in some way glorify Magadan, glorify all of Russia. From pieces like these, we will create the mosaic of the future Far East,” emphasized Yuri Trutnev.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.