Yenisey Siberia Aims to Become an International Tourism, Sports & Business Destination

Everyone has heard of Siberia – a vast territory in Russia, spreading across more than 10 million square kilometres yet only home to one fifth of the country’s population. Yenisey Siberia is part of that area – the territorial brand represents the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Republic of Khakassia and the Tyva Republic. These three regions are located along the banks of the Yenisey River and are linked through geographical proximity, a common history, culture, traditions, and natural monuments.

The region has been home to human inhabitants for several thousand years, which have seen the development of land along the banks of the Yenisey. The historical connection between Krasnoyarsk Territory, Khakassia and Tyva has been forming for centuries. Today, the brand "Yenisey Siberia" reflects the modern image of the three regions, with locals aiming at further domestic and global recognition.

In 2021 Krasnoyarsk hosted the FIS Freestyle and Snowboard Junior World Championships. For the first time in the history of such competitions, all freestyle and snowboard events were held simultaneously at the same facility.

The Sopka multipurpose sports cluster is capable of hosting such competitions, since it is the only venue in Russia which has tracks for all varieties of freestyle and snowboarding that meet the requirements of the International Ski Federation. Athletes from 28 countries took part in the competition.

Another international sports event which was hosted by Yenisey Siberia this fall was the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Figure Skating.

Next year, the region will host the stages of the World Snowboard Cup and matches of the 2022 FIVB World Volleyball Cup.

Yenisey Siberia is a great destination for adventurous tourists – a place where one can appreciate the vastness of the taiga, see the Aurora Borealis, unravel the mystery of the Midnight Sun, conquer the gorges and valleys of the Putorana plateau and swim in the mountain lakes of Ergaki Park. Locals say that Yenisey Siberia is the only place which features this combination of nature’s wonders in one location.

Those who wish to embark on an in-depth journey through the region can travel along a route called “From Krasnoyarsk to the center of Asia”. It’s 2,500 kilometres long, and consists of a 13-day program which features historical and cultural heritage sites. Those in the know say that it’s a great chance to experience Siberian shaman rituals, become one with nature, walk in the footsteps of the original settlers, meet with Old Believers, visit the tombstones of the tsars, and experience the lifestyle of Russians as they once lived long ago.

Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republics of Khakassia and Tyva are rich in minerals, making Yenisey Siberia an attractive place for large-scale investment. The three regions have developed a joint Comprehensive Investment Project: "Yenisey Siberia" (CIP). Support for the comprehensive investment project is provided by the Yenisey Siberia Development Corporation. The corporation facilitates cooperation between large-scale investors and small and medium-sized businesses, as well as scientific and educational venues.

It has yielded a valuable contribution to the development of new projects, upgrading and creating businesses in various sectors of the economy including energy, logging, agriculture, mining and the processing of minerals. The CIP combines 32 projects with a total investment value of over 1.9 trillion rubles ($26 billion), which should be implemented by 2027 by more than 60 companies involved in the plan. It’s expected that CIP will help to create more than 70,000 jobs.

The development of the Arctic is another key focus of the CIP. The northern part of Yenisey Siberia is home to large reserves of natural resources. Russia’s oil giant Rosneft has already launched a massive project on the Taimyr Peninsula called Vostok Oil. It may very well contribute to making Yenisey Siberia one of the main oil- and gas-producing territories, both domestically and globally. With the launch of the first stage of Vostok Oil, it will be capable of producing up to 30 million tonnes of oil annually, with the first shipments scheduled for 2024.

The region is also working on large-scale coal mining and transportation projects. It’s expected that the development of the Syradasai coal deposit at the Taimyr Peninsula will give boost to the region’s coal production. This deposit is one of the largest in Russia, it holds more than 5.5 billion tonnes of coal, with coking coal offering new opportunities for Yenisey Siberia.

The Yenisey Siberia Development Corporation is working on investment, sports, as well as social and business projects to boost socio-economic development and to promote the three-member region. The idea to create the Yenisey Siberia project took shape in 2018. Since then it has received support from Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as from numerous partners – banks, industrial giants, government agencies, consulting firms and NGOs.