The region's Governor, Roman Kolpin, visited the site on its first day in operation. During his working visit to the region, the Governor got acquainted with a special tourist project that the local businessman Maxim Krupenya is carrying out within the so-called Far Eastern Hectare, not far from Lavrentiya Village. This was reported by the Ministry for Development of the Russian Far East.

'Glamping is a great initiative, and something completely unprecedented for Chukotka. The location in Goryachiye Klyuchi is very suitable for the purpose. The glamping site is mobile and sustainable, as well as well-integrated into the surrounding landscape. And most importantly, the owner is engaging with the locals, with young people, and has further development plans. We are definitely going to support this,' comments Roman Kopin.

Chukotka's first glamping facility uses the land plot provided free of charge under the Far Eastern Hectare programme. The businessman also raised funds through other means. There currently are several domed structures for accommodating tourists. The project's main purpose is to bolster domestic tourist in the north-east of Chukotka, on top of improving the tourist attractiveness of the region as a whole.

'Chukotka is one of Russia's most remote and unexplored regions. The tourism business here is characterised by a pronounced seasonality. The defining factors are harsh climatic conditions of the region, poor accessibility, and the high cost of transport. Glamping is, at its core, similar to camping, but with a polar opposite approach. Camping is for people that are ready to sacrifice personal comfort in order to enjoy the beauty of nature. Glamping, on the other hand, is for people who cannot give up their cosy lifestyle, no matter how much nature beckons them,' explains Maxim Krupenya.

In addition to creating the best environment for a comfortable stay, the project plans to provide tourists with transfer services, organise sports and entertainment programmes on-site, and run guided tours. The minimal number of tourist groups is 10 per season, with an average of 4 people per group.

This year, the Chukotka Micro-Loan Company provided the businessman with a micro-loan in the amount of 5 million rubles at a 5.5% rate, to fund his glamping site. The total investments reached approximately RUB 6 mn, 500 thousand of which were a grant from the district's Department of Finance, Economics and Property Relations. The site's business plan was supported by the Chukotka Development Foundation.

The Far Eastern Hectare programme has been active since 2016. The land plots are provided for free, based on an online application. The applicant is free to choose the purpose for their land plot, as well as its location and size.

'The Far Eastern Hectare programme has turned into one of the most prominent government support initiatives in the Far East. There are over 95 thousand people taking part in the programme today. The land plots in Chukotka Autonomus Area are claimed for starting a business, farming, residential construction, and tourism projects. The corporation is working actively to keep improving the programme. This year, those who have successfully used their first hectare for its intended purpose can apply for a second hectare. The programme has also been expanded to Russia's Arctic regions,' comments Igor Nosov, General Director of the Far East and Arctic Development Corporation.