{"id":13227,"date":"2026-04-30T18:11:41","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T15:11:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/centerlab.pro\/?p=13227"},"modified":"2026-04-30T18:13:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T15:13:19","slug":"from-astro-to-gastro-shaping-the-tourism-strategy-for-oryol-polesye","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/centerlab.pro\/en\/from-astro-to-gastro-shaping-the-tourism-strategy-for-oryol-polesye\/","title":{"rendered":"From Astro to Gastro \u2014 Shaping the Tourism Strategy for Oryol Polesye"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The Government of the Oryol Region has reviewed preliminary scenarios for tourism development in areas adjacent to the Oryol Polesye National Park. As part of a strategic session, representatives of government, business, expert communities, and civil society assessed a range of concepts \u2014 including the creation of an astrotourism platform and a \u0433\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u043d\u043e\u043c\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 cluster in the Khotynets district.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Participants included specialists from regional departments responsible for spatial development projects, economic development and investment policy, state property and land relations, culture, as well as regulatory authorities and urban planning bodies. Representatives from three municipal districts and the Directorate for Protected Natural Areas also took part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The session forms part of a broader initiative to establish a tourism and recreation special economic zone in the region. The analytical groundwork for this initiative is being developed in partnership with regional authorities by LLC “CENTER LAB” \u2014 the International Urbanist Laboratory. During the session, the team presented initial findings based on nearly six months of research, including field surveys across Polesye and sociological studies involving both local residents and potential visitors from other regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Andrey Karpov, Head of the Regional Department for Spatial Development Projects, the objective is to align stakeholder perspectives and create a development framework that unlocks the full potential of the national park. He emphasized that Oryol Polesye \u2014 a key natural asset of the region \u2014 should become a distinctive destination and play a strategic role in the development of Russian tourism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kseniya Polyaeva, analyst-economist at LLC “CENTER LAB”, noted that a special economic zone serves as a mechanism to attract investment flows into strategically significant sectors. Its establishment requires demonstrating positive revenue dynamics and meeting key criteria \u2014 including the scale of investment projects, with total investment expected to exceed RUB 8 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Experts proposed the development of approximately 60 tourism and transport infrastructure facilities, structured across seven clusters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Ilya Smirnov, Head of Analytics at LLC “CENTER LAB”, highlighted that the cluster-based approach is the most effective model for the territory. Existing points of attraction are geographically dispersed but thematically specialized. By strengthening them with infrastructure and programming, the region can significantly increase its attractiveness and unlock new growth drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regional participants also contributed additional proposals \u2014 including the exploration of local mineral water and therapeutic mud resources, the introduction of a military-historical cluster, the development of auto-tourism, and enhanced navigation systems within the national park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All feedback and proposals will be incorporated into the final version of the study \u2014 creating a comprehensive framework for integrated development and long-term tourism growth in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n