The Murmansk Region has been named among the winners of the "Discover Your Russia" International Inbound Tourism Development Program of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI). The awards ceremony and presentations of the finalists" projects took place today as part of the forum of the same name, which brought together over 500 participants—representatives of federal and regional government agencies, the hospitality industry, and international partners.
Alexandra Kondaurova, Deputy Governor of the Murmansk Region, presented the five-day "Heart of the Arctic" tour, which is aimed at Chinese and Indian travelers.
"Every heart has a place for the Arctic. The tour program includes unique activities for any season: participants will travel to the edge of the earth, catch the northern lights or see the sun at night, meet a whale, sample Arctic cuisine, and learn about the traditions of northern peoples. We offer our international guests an all-season experience, a maximum concentration of impressions, and a journey through the most atmospheric locations in a "all at once" format." "Tour participants will be able to fully immerse themselves in the Arctic atmosphere," Alexandra Kondaurova said at the presentation.
The "Heart of the Arctic" tour includes 14 attractions, eight excursions, seven Arctic cuisine restaurants, and four master classes. In Murmansk, tourists will visit iconic sites, including the region"s signature icebreaker, the Lenin. En route to Teriberka, they will stop at the Kola Wind Farm, take a boat cruise on the Barents Sea and visit a nature park, hear a performance by the legendary Pomor choir, and visit a gastronomic theater. In Lovozero, tour participants will explore a Sami village and the traditions of the Sami, an indigenous people of the north. In the Khibiny Mountains, in winter, they will visit the unique locations of the "Snow Village" and "Mysterious Forest," as well as a ride on a snow-covered tour bus. In summer, they will enjoy trekking, plein air painting, silent mountain hunting, and SUP riding.
As Vice Governor Alexandra Kondaurova noted, the "Heart of the Arctic" tour will rival Scandinavian tours in terms of price and scope.
At the launch of the "Discover Your Russia" program, experts selected 25 regions with the greatest potential for inbound tourism development out of 65. Murmansk Oblast, with its "Heart of the Arctic" project, was ranked among the top ten in the country following the accelerator program. This will ensure federal support for the project"s promotion on the international market. Thus, in 2026, Murmansk Oblast, along with other finalist regions, will be included in the Rossotrudnichestvo "New Generation" program tracks, where they will be visited by foreign tour operators from target markets, travel journalists, and other relevant specialists. This will allow not only for an expert assessment of the developed tourism product but also for subsequent post-program work: route refinement, partnership formation, and preparation for international implementation. Furthermore, the tourism products of the finalist regions will form the basis for the ASI "Expert Russia" training programs for Russian diplomats abroad and foreign tour operators.
Russian Senator Elena Dyagileva congratulated the Murmansk Region team.
"Following the Government Hour with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Speaker of the Chamber of Regions Valentina Matviyenko emphasized that the number of countries friendly to Russia is growing, and that isolation of our country by definition does not exist. Tourism is a powerful tool of public diplomacy, which is why projects that help open up the amazing Murmansk Region and other beautiful regions of our vast country are so important! Entering the international market is a new challenge, one that the Arctic region is already successfully addressing. Today"s victory is further proof of that," the senator said.
Elena Dyagileva emphasized the Federation Council"s focus on developing the creative economy and tourism. She cited the classification reform as an example, which has helped bring nearly 10,000 accommodation facilities out of the shadows. According to the senator, each region of the country is unique, and it is important to unlock the potential of all federal subjects. The Arctic representative in the upper house of parliament emphasized the synergistic effect of federal programs and activities being implemented in the Murmansk Region under the governor"s "Live in the North!" plan.
Also today, at the plenary session of the "Discover Your Russia" forum, Deputy Governor Alexandra Kondaurova spoke about creating a "comfortable route for foreign tourists in the Arctic" and the successful export products of the Murmansk Region"s experience industry.
"Today, our traditionally industrial region, along with raw materials and industrial products, is actively and, most importantly, successfully exporting experiences! The share of tourism in the region"s GRP has doubled over the past 10 years and exceeds the Russian average. "Diversifying the region"s economy is one of our key tools for resilience in the face of global turbulence, and we place great importance on developing the tourism industry. Today, both the tourist flow itself and the share of foreign tourists within it are growing steadily—from 3.5% in 2022 to approaching 10%. We see potential for further growth and set ourselves the goal of returning to pre-COVID-19 levels," said Alexandra Kondaurova.
Furthermore, the Murmansk Region"s experience was presented at the discussion platform "The Future of Hospitality: Inbound Tourism Professions" for relevant students and young professionals. Irina Brinkova, curator of the unique recruitment project "Course to the North," explained how, for two years, the project has been helping specialists from other regions relocate to the Murmansk Region and find employment here. The project is also expected to address a talent shortage in the tourism industry, specifically recruiting Chinese-speaking guides.
For reference:
The international inbound tourism development program "Discover Your Russia" is being implemented by the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) with the support of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, the Center for Strategic Research, Rossotrudnichestvo, Cosmos Hotel Group, and Profi.Travel.
/ Ministry of Tourism and Entrepreneurship of the Murmansk Region /
