Russian government approves automobile tourism development strategy

MOSCOW. May 2 (Interfax) - The Russian government has approved an automobile tourism development strategy for the period until 2035, which aims to create conditions for comfortable road travel and greater accessibility of tourist destinations, the government press service said on Thursday.

The strategy is to be implemented in two stages, the press service said.

"The first stage is 2024-2025. In this period, it is planned that a program for developing automobile tourism and an action plan that will include an elaboration of proposals on new government support measures and conditions for developing automobile tourism and respective infrastructure will be drafted, in addition to an interactive map of automobile tourism tours, including the pilot route between St. Petersburg and Vladivostok. The map will show tourist infrastructure and road service locations," it said.

The second stage is planned for 2025-2035. It envisages an improvement of laws and government support measures aimed at developing automobile tourism and expanding the network of automobile tourist routes and infrastructure, the launch of an interactive map of infrastructure, and receiving feedback from automobile tourists to assess the quality of service.

"Such trips should be comfortable for people. That would require the availability of both highways and short roads to tourist sites with gas stations, mobile communications, equipped parking lots, as well as hotels," the press service quoted Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin as saying.