Karelia Resort to Offer Beluga Whale and Seal Watching Tours

ST. PETERSBURG, June 15. /TASS/. The Termal-Kem Arctic resort in Karelia plans to invite tourists to watch small white whales (belugas) and newborn seals, the region's Governor Artur Parfenchikov told TASS on sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

At the VI International Arctic Forum, Russia's President Vladimir Putin instructed the federal and regional governments to support developing tourism and growing interest in the Arctic

"In summer, we will show children the places where little white whales and their mothers live. I'm sure they'll adore them. White whales are very friendly, and there are locations where those animals are numerous. It's good to observe there - it's actually a "nursery". And in winter we will show places where seals are born," Karelia's governor said.

The regional authorities will be discussing with environment specialists how to bring tourists there and at what distance to allow visitors. A white whale and a seal will be the children's symbols of the resort, the governor continued, adding the resort's visitors would be offered therapy using the salty White Sea water. Additionally, algae will be used for various cosmetic and therapeutic procedures.

The Karelian authorities and the Tohmajoki Park Company signed an agreement on the Termal-Kem resort construction in the Russian Federation's Arctic Zone during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The resort will be able to accommodate up to 1,700 guests at a time, and private investments will exceed 3 billion rubles ($42 billion). The new resort will be located between Rabochyostrovsky and Kem, near two UNESCO World Heritage Sites - the White Sea Petroglyphs and the Solovetsky Archipelago.

The resort will have a 600-room hotel, a SPA with a swimming pool, a restaurant, a congress hall, a staff dormitory, and other facilities, as well as motorcycle cross-country and ski trails, hiking trails, a climbing wall, and a rope park. Kayaking will be available in summer, and ice diving, ice skating and other sports - in winter.

About the forum

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) took place from 3 to 6 June. The main theme was "Pragmatic Dialogue: the Path to a Stable Future." The forum's program was devoted to the formation of a new global development model in the context of the global economy transformation.

The forum's organizer was the Roscongress Foundation. TASS was the event's general information partner.