Igora Resort celebrates its 20th anniversary

20 years ago, a place appeared on the map of Russia that sets the standards for tourism and outdoor activities. February 1 is the birthday of Igora— a unique resort in the Leningrad Region, just 50 km from St. Petersburg. They actually learned how to manage the climate here, so that everyone can take advantage of the opportunities of all-season leisure. It's also a place where big politics are played out.

There are really vivid emotions on the mountain. There are 350 people on this slope alone, and that's just in red.

It's hot down here, despite the -18 frost: fanfare sounds for those who took part in the celebration of the 20th anniversary and the traditional "red descent," said Maxim Oblender, a correspondent for Izvestia.

"There are great restaurants here, the food is delicious, and it's a wonderful vacation when you can come to a hotel, rent a cottage and relax," said Irina Dragomiretskaya, a guest at the Igora resort.

"This is transport accessibility. You don't necessarily need a car, you can come by bus, you can take the train!" added vacationer Vladislav Vasiliev.

We thought over the rest to the smallest detail, even subordinated the weather: two dozen snow cannons create their own climate, the season easily lasts until April. The longest descent in the region, ten trails, training slopes, their total length is 4 km 200 m.

"A lot of projects that are being implemented in the Leningrad Region today are focused on Igora, and this is great. Igora has provided great opportunities for the development of children's sports, we have modern sports grounds and a gorgeous ice palace," said Alexander Drozdenko, Governor of the Leningrad Region.

While some are on the mountain, others on the ice are taking their first steps in a modern multifunctional palace.

"About 700 people have graduated from our figure skating and hockey schools over the past period of time," said Ilya Skotnikov, General Director of the resort.

The basics of skating and pirouetting skills are taught to young figure skaters at master classes by the USSR figure skating champion, vice-world and European champion Tamara Moskvina and her students.

"The Igora resort is close to St. Petersburg. Then later, people are on vacation, and we want to show new programs and see how the public will react to them. In addition, not only our famous athletes perform there, but also young people," Moskvina said.

The most significant international event took place here at the Ice Palace in December 2024. The heads of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and members of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council arrived here, and the leaders of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan joined them at the informal summit of the CIS heads of state.

"The resort is really quite unique and comfortable. The president wanted to show it to the guests," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

The resort's comfortable hotels, apartments, and cottages, located right on the slope, can accommodate 550 people at a time. A similar figure – more than half a thousand – is the number of jobs that Igor creates, regardless of the season.

In 2019, with the opening of the Igora Drive racetrack, the complex turned into a large-scale sports and tourism cluster. 100 hectares, trails for rallycross, drift, off-road vehicles and the main highway ring road, where you can accelerate to 280 km/h.

"It is this section of the track that takes the breath away from everyone who rides along the track, whether they are professional racers or amateurs," admitted Alexander Sotnikov, ex—champion of Russia in winter track racing, ex-champion of Russia in circuit racing.

The architect of the complex, Hermann Tilke, is the chief designer of the best race tracks around the world.

"You can hold races of any level here. Undoubtedly, this complex will contribute to the development of motorsport in Russia, it is possible to attract young people here, get them off the streets and put them behind the wheel," explained Tilke.

They also teach safe driving at the emergency training center, which especially impressed the president of the International Automobile Federation.

"I think everyone is just shocked by this center. It can be useful not only for motorsport, but also for the education of young people, as well as their behavior on the roads in general," said Jean Todt, President of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) in 2009-2021.

GARAGE FEST, car competitions, the first in Russia and the only tandem car theater in Europe "Igory Drive" and "Leningrad Center", the gastronomic festival "Baltika Fest", which gathered 6 thousand guests, and much, much more.

Igora welcomes half a million guests annually. This is also the story of investments in the future, in sports, in the Leningrad region. But all these significant results of 20 hot winters and years are only intermediate.

All-season demand: Igora resort celebrates its 20th anniversary

From ski slopes to the racetrack and IT championships - how holidays in the Leningrad Region have become a driver of the region's economy

Ilya Skotnikov, General Director of the resort, said a day earlier that a new spa complex with a panoramic pool had been opened at Igor for the anniversary. In addition, the guests of the festival were greeted with a DJ set, a show of drummers and dancers, as well as a traditional festive descent.

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