Deputy Prime Minister — Presidential Envoy in the North Caucasus Federal District Alexander Khloponin held a meeting with Director General of OJSC "Northern Caucasus Resorts" Sergey Vereshchagin and the rector of the North Caucasus Federal University (NCFU) Alina Levitskaya.

At the meeting they discussed the training of highly qualified specialists for the new resorts in the tourist cluster in southern Russia. As a result, Head of "NCR" Sergey Vereshchagin said that the construction of world-class resorts would require the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects, which should attract a large part of the active working population of the North Caucasus.

"We need to train professionals in many economic spheres, including those, who will be responsible for for the resorts’ management and operation — managers, hoteliers and specialists from small and medium-sized enterprises”, stated Sergey Vereshchagin.

The Head of "NCR" told the reporters, that by the end of July, the company would have prepared requirements for NCFU to identify professions which were necessary for working at the Arkhyz resort in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic.

According to him, the first professionals who will be prepared by SKFU upon the terms of reference of the company, will be able to work at the resort Arkhyz (the Karachay-Cherkess Republic), which will open its doors to everyone, who want to go skiing, this year. In the near future, according to the plans of the management of "NCR", will be launched the first stages of the resorts Mamison (the Republic of North Ossetia — Alania), and Elbrus-Bezengi (the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria). In the long term —  Matlas (the Republic of Dagestan), Tsori and Armkhi (the Republic of Ingushetia), balneological facilities in the region of Kavkazskie Mineralnye Vody (the Stavropol Region), and Veduchi (Chechen Republic). As for the Veduchi resort, the decision to deliver it to the administration of “NCR” is being considered in the Central Office of the Government of the Russian Federation.

“I believe that this project will become a part of the tourism cluster in the near future. When it happens, all republics of the North Caucasian Federal District will be included in the project”, reported Sergey Vereshchagin.

At the end of the meeting Alina Levitskaya, the NCFU rector pointed out: “We are ready to closely cooperate with OJSC "Northern Caucasus Resorts ". Nowadays, the university has the opportunity to develop educational standards and related educational programs, as well to collaborate in other areas of joint training based on the needs of the Northern Caucasus tourist cluster. We are going to work in this very direction”.

OJSC “NCR” regards NCFU as a strategic partner in the field of training for the most popular professions at various stages of the tourism cluster development.

During the dialogue with journalists Sergey Vereshchagin said that "Northern Caucasus Resorts" can be seen as a unique recreation complex. The creation of tourist zones and the staff training are priorities that will give our country competitive advantages”.