Tourism development in militarized border zone
The Murmansk regional administration has launched plans for the construction of a tourist centre in Liinakhammari on the Barents Sea coast. About 13 million USD is to be invested in the centre which will be located only few kilometres from the border to Norway.
The centre, to be named “Pechenga” after the local municipality and the adjacent bay, will be opened for tourists in year 2010, journal Expert reports. Liinakhamari, located in the ice-free Pechenga Bay, formerly hosted a fleet of Russian coast guard vessels. The centre is initiated by regional authorities. The Murmansk administration will also oversee the implementation of the project, regional media reports. Liinakhamari is well suited for tourism development with its nearby lakes and closeness to the Barents Sea, as well as developed infrastructure, the Murmansk administration argues. The officials in Murmansk might however have forgotten that Liinkhamari also is located in the middle of the Russian 25 km border zone, an area with strict travel regulations both for Russians and foreigners.
