All-season demand: Igora resort celebrates its 20th anniversary
The real point of attraction in the north-west of Russia, the universe of recreation and sports — the all-season resort "Igora" in the Leningrad region celebrated its 20th anniversary with a flourish. It is this tourist cluster that has become one of the main popularizers of the now highly sought-after trend for short vacation trips. Igora set the highest bar right away, offering its guests a full package of entertainment: skiing and snowboarding, bowling, swimming pool, spa and bathing practices. There is also an amusement lake, which in summer becomes a beach, picnic areas and much more. The resort not only provides jobs, conducts staff training, but also cooperates with colleges, developing the domestic hospitality industry. About how the anniversary went, what the creators of the resort planned for the future and how its development affects the sphere of all—season tourism in the Russian Federation - in the material of Izvestia.
How the resort celebrated its 20th anniversary
On Saturday, January 31, a colorful festive program awaited all the guests of Igora: a DJ set, a show of drummers and dancers, as well as a traditional festive ski descent. For the anniversary, a new spa complex with a panoramic pool was opened here.
Eight lifts, 10 trails for skiers and snowboarders of various training levels. The total length is 4,200 m. And the height difference is from 50 to 116 m. It's hard to believe now, but once upon a time there was just an unnamed 120-meter hill here, 50 km from St. Petersburg. The resort opened in 2006: already then there were large long wide ski slopes, where there were chairlifts at once — at that time it was a novelty in the region.
Valentina Matvienko, who was then governor of St. Petersburg, also tested the slopes.
— You know, the track is wonderful. Actually, what we have seen here and what has been created in such a short time. — a real European ski resort. It's certainly amazing! — she noted then.
Currently, the Igora resort has ski and hockey schools, as well as a curling training complex.
— If we sum up some interim results, then we have actually come a long way in these 20 years. We have hosted international events. Every year we take about half a million people for a ride," said Ilya Skotnikov, General Director of the all—season Igor resort.
Traditionally, on the birthday, the all-season resort holds a "red" ski slope. This year, 350 people participated in it.
— Hospitality, hospitality, and more hospitality. The resort is not only hospitable, but also year—round," Ilya Skotnikov added. — The most important and unique thing is the people. This is a team of more than 500 people who create this atmosphere.
On the birthday of the Izvestia resort, we talked with its visitors.
— Big slopes, good lifts... There is an ice rink, spa services, summer options, and we can also ride cars. You can have a good rest here," said Anna, a visitor.
Another guest, Evgeny Gonokhov, noted the convenient location of the resort.
—Igora is located near the city, and it also offers comfortable accommodation and entertainment," he said. — For example, curling was played a couple of days ago. There are many activities to suit every taste.
Alina, a guest of the resort, for example, went skiing here for the first time in her life.
— The instructor is very comfortable, I like everything. I think I'm going to "fly" now," she added.
The resort also has an ice palace, where group and individual training sessions are held. Hockey matches and demonstrations are organized there, children can learn the basics of hockey or figure skating, and adults can just skate or try their hand at curling. However, there is a bowling alley and billiards in the entertainment area.
— Excellent coaching staff, excellent attitude, wonderful equipment, — said Marina Albikova, a vacationer at the resort, the mother of one of the skaters.
The Governor of the Leningrad Region, Alexander Drozdenko, emphasized that the Igora resort has raised the bar for rural recreation and has become the flagship of this area in the region.
"A lot of projects focus on the best, and that's great," the head of the region added.
Tracks, motors, and robots
The resort was one of the first to develop mass ski tourism in Russia. But in general, the appearance of "Igora" helped to form and popularize a new format at that time — short vacation trips, during which you can combine sports with recovery and body reboot, the press service of the resort told Izvestia.
"This is how the modern recreation format emerged: skiing and snowboarding plus a swimming pool, bathing practices, functional training, family activities and leisure without leaving the territory," they said.
The resort has created, in particular, a comfortable environment for beginners: it includes a variety of trails, various instructor programs and children's schools, rental service and ski service. All of this works as a single ecosystem. All this made the classes as accessible as possible for beginners and convenient for experienced athletes. In 2021, the resort launched a children's ski club.
— The resort continues to be the first to introduce, popularize and form new directions: we have expanded the range of activities and strengthened communications so that mountain holidays in Russia are associated with modern service, safety and aesthetics. Today, Igora is a standard that is being equaled and which confirms that the prestige of traveling in Russia is being created here and now," the press service emphasized.
One of the first large-scale spa complexes in the north-west appeared here in 2007, and recently a new infinity pool was opened, where the thermal zone is complemented by children's and hydro-massage pools, a spacious sauna and hammam, an "artificial sun" with a pebble beach and collagen lamps. Among the novelties are psammotherapy on warm quartz sand and dry floating procedures, which are designed to harmonize body and mind. One of the most unusual rituals of recovery is the "Sleep Room". This is a separate quiet space where vibration acoustics helps to slow down and switch.
— The resort not only develops tourism, but also forms a new economy of the region — with real opportunities for work, professional growth and self-realization. He showed that the development of tourist infrastructure may not be an external project, but a part of the life of the local community," they said.
The spa complex of the Igora resort
For more than 10 years, the resort has hosted traditional summer master classes by seven-time USSR champion, vice-world and European champion in figure skating Tamara Moskvina. The students of the club take to the ice: sports pairs and single skaters. During the entire time, about 10 thousand guests attended the master classes.
With the opening of the world-class motorhome "Igora Drive" in 2019, the resort has become a large-scale sports and tourism cluster.
— The uniqueness of this complex is that it combines tracks that can only be imagined, ranging from go-karting to motocross. Races of any level can be held here. Undoubtedly, this complex will contribute to the development of motorsport in Russia. You can attract young people here, get them off the streets and behind the wheel," says Herman Tilke, the architect of the Igora Drive complex, the world's leading architect of race tracks, who built race tracks in Malaysia, China, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and India.
More than 400 events are held here annually, including the first in Russia and the only in Europe auto theater "Drive Show". GARAGE FEST is also held here, a festival that combines music and motor sports, drift and circuit racing, student competitions and an exhibition of rare cars. It will be held for the fifth time in 2026.
Igora Drive is also the arena of the Moto Drive festival, which includes motorcycle racing, a stand—riding show, an exhibition and concerts by stars of the Russian music scene. The resort also hosts the Baltika Fest gastronomic music festival every year.
In addition, the emergency training center is open here, accessible to everyone. This feature of the complex was highlighted several years ago by Jean Todt, ex-president of the International Automobile Federation, the UN Special Envoy for Auto Safety, who visited Igora Drive at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
— You know, I'm inspired by a lot of things. Cars, car racing, and now this simply magnificent object in which you can collect so much. I can say that I am very impressed," said Jean Todt. — I think everyone is just shocked by this center. It can be useful not only for motorcycle and motorsport, but also for the education of young people, as well as their behavior on the roads in general.
The Igora resort hosted the stage of the World Downhill Skating Championships, where athletes from around the world competed in men's, women's and junior competitions for gold awards and the title of the best rider on the planet. There were also large-scale team sports competitions in the steeplechase "Race of Heroes".
In 2025, the third stage of the international Robot Battle Championship took place here. The ice arena turned into a spectacular ring, where representatives of 14 regions came together in duels. The machines are operated by development teams consisting of professional engineers, students of technical universities and robotics enthusiasts from different countries. Guests from Tunisia and India participated.
And in December 2024, two significant international events took place here: an informal meeting of the CIS heads of state and a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.
— The resort is really quite unique and comfortable. The president wanted to show it to the guests," Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at the time.
School of Personnel for Hospitality
There is also an important annual tradition at Igor — the planting of the birch "Victory Alley" on May 9, as well as congratulations to veterans of the village of Sosnovo, Priozersky district, Leningrad region.
The resort provides over 550 new jobs, of which 70% of employees are residents of the nearest cities and towns. Igora also conducts career guidance tours for schools and colleges in the Leningrad region and St. Petersburg. Colleges annually send first—year students in the fields of "Tourism", "Housekeeping", "Catering Technology" on excursions and conversations with HR representatives - here they can complete an internship or discuss employment opportunities.
— From the first years of operation, Igora has become a school of modern service: they study hospitality standards, management, engineering and sports professions here. Many employees started from seasonal positions, and today they manage divisions, conduct training and represent the resort at the federal level," the press service noted.
Staff selection is provided by the resort's own personnel management service. Active work is underway with candidates from St. Petersburg, the Leningrad region, as well as with applicants from other regions of Russia.
"We are developing the direction of cooperation with secondary educational institutions, students undergo an internship at the resort, and after graduation they join the team as young specialists," the Igora press service continued. — Staff training and development is carried out by both internal trainers and external experts. To effectively train employees in service standards, we have implemented a distance learning system, regularly certify staff, and develop the leadership potential of the resort's management team.
In any season
The tourist flow to the resort is growing annually. In recent years, about 500,000 guests have visited Igora every year.
— A quarter of the guests are children. In winter, individual travelers, couples and groups of friends on the slopes prevail, as well as families with children who appreciate safe trails and family entertainment," the Igora press service said.
In summer, the resort is chosen by lovers of rural recreation and active, eventful weekends: families with children, companies that come for outdoor activities, beach activities and picnics.
During the off-season, the resort becomes a point of attraction for business travelers and corporate groups: they come here for seminars, team building and conferences.
The infrastructure allows you to combine productive work meetings and events with a rich entertainment program and relaxation at the spa.
All—season resorts meet one of the main modern demands - the desire to be closer to nature at any time of the year, the press service of the Avito Travel technology platform noted. The trend towards active recreation makes such resorts especially popular: in winter, guests go skiing, and in summer they choose hiking, cycling routes or relaxing by mountain rivers.
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