Russia Set To Open In Moscow, The Development Of A Tourist Center In The Largest Special Economic Zone

In this digest, we will tell you about the biggest beach complex with swimming pools in Russia set to open in Moscow, the development of a tourist center in the largest special economic zone of Russia, the Altai region, and about a transcontinental flight in the largest hot air balloon in Russia

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th March, 2023) In this digest, we will tell you about the biggest beach complex with swimming pools in Russia set to open in Moscow, the development of a tourist center in the largest special economic zone of Russia, the Altai region, and about a transcontinental flight in the largest hot air balloon in Russia.

A beach complex with five swimming pools � the largest in Russia � equipped with a heating system will open in Moscow's Nagatinskaya floodplain, Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has announced.

"The Nagatinskaya floodplain continues to develop ... today it is the world's largest indoor children's amusement park. Two more properties are under construction nearby. The facility where we are today is the largest open beach area in Moscow and Russia with outdoor heated pools that will simultaneously accommodate about 2,500 people," Sobyanin said.

This year, the construction of an outdoor amusement park will begin, the mayor said, adding that this is "one of the largest private projects in Russia to create the largest entertainment zone, which will accept a huge number of people, which can be used not only by Muscovites, but also by residents of all of Russia."

According to the mayor's office, the construction of the Dream Beach Club beach complex began last September with funding provided by a private investor. The opening is scheduled for this summer.

The complex with an area of 41,000 square meters (441,320 square feet) will include five pools equipped with a heating system, including a 1,700 square-meter outdoor pool � the largest in Russia, a children's pool with water slides, a children's dry pool with fountains, a wave pool and a VIP pool.

A "Hobbit Village" and an information center for tourists will open in Turquoise Katun in the Altai region, Russia's largest special economic zone, this year, Governor Viktor Tomenko said on Friday.

"We continue to develop Turquoise Katun, Russia's largest tourist and recreational special economic zone. We approved three new investment projects for the construction of hotel complexes for a total of 557 million rubles ($7.27 million)," Tomenko wrote on Telegram.

By summer, a tourist information center with a cafe will open in the area, and not far from the Taldin caves, the creation of the "Hobbit Village" art object will be completed, the official said.

"I think this is an important project for every inhabitant of the region. I am glad that there are more places for a comfortable stay in the region," Tomenko added.

Turquoise Katun is a special economic zone of tourist and recreational type located on the left bank of the Katun River in the Altai region. It was created in 2007. There is an artificial lake for swimming and fishing, ski slopes, year-round hotel complexes, shops and cafes on the territory of the complex.

Traveler Fyodor Konyukhov will make a transcontinental flight from north to south in the country's largest hot air balloon in an attempt to set two world records at once � in flight distance and duration, chemical holding company PhosAgro, the expedition's general partner, said on Friday.

"PhosAgro will act as the general partner of the expedition of famous traveler Fyodor Konyukhov � a transcontinental flight from north to south in a hot air balloon ... The flight will start in late March-early April 2023 (depending on weather conditions) in Kirovsk (the Murmansk region) ... and will pass, tentatively, through Cherepovets (the Vologda region) in the direction of Balakovo (the Saratov region)," the firm said in a statement.

Konyukhov, together with master of sports in air ballooning Ivan Menyaylo, are challenging two current world records at once: the distance record � 2,360 kilometers (1,466 miles), which was set by Japanese pilot Michio Kanda in 1997 in Australia, as well as the flight duration record � 55 hours � accomplished by Konyukhov and Menyaylo themselves in 2017.

"In the near future, Fyodor Konyukhov and Ivan Menyaylo plan to improve their own achievement and stay in the air without landing for more than 60 hours, covering a distance of up to 2,500 kilometers. The flight is planned at an altitude of up to 5 kilometers with an average speed of 40-50 kilometers per hour (25-31 miles per hour)," the company added.

Especially for this expedition, a thermal balloon with a shell volume of 12,000 square meters was made in Russia � the largest balloon created in the entire history of Russian aeronautics, PhosAgro said. The height of the structure together with the basket is 36 meters (115 feet), the weight at the start is 5 tonnes.