Tatarstan has secured 500 million rubles in federal subsidies for the development of modular tourist accommodations, including glamping sites, as part of Russia’s national Tourism and Hospitality project.
The funding, announced following the June conclusion of the Ministry of Economic Development’s competitive selection, will support 29 tourism infrastructure projects across the republic.
These initiatives are expected to result in the creation of 510 new holiday destinations by 2027.
According to a report by Realnoe Vremya, the grants are part of a broader 27 billion ruble federal initiative aimed at expanding tourist infrastructure across 84 participating regions.
Tatarstan’s allocation was one of the highest, placing it alongside other leading regions such as Krasnodar Krai, Moscow, and the Sverdlovsk and Nizhny Novgorod regions.
Tatneft is set to receive 76.4 million rubles to expand its glamping park near the Karabash Reservoir, and the Pioneer Resort Hotel, located on the Volga near Shelanga, will be granted 56 million rubles. All three are existing enterprises with prior experience in tourism-related development.
This year’s selection process notably favored established players with functioning infrastructure and tourism experience. Newcomers and start-up glamping proposals were excluded from the final selection, as criteria shifted to prioritize ready-to-implement projects.
“The members of the commission were more loyal to this format because the business brings in income and taxes,” said Yevgeny Terentyev, head of the Health Resorts of Tatarstan association.
“It is one thing to put 10 glamping sites in a beautiful natural area without access roads and with complex logistics. Another thing is an operating business, where the flow of vacationers, infrastructure, additional services are established.”
According to Terentyev, 184,000 people visited sanatoriums in the region last year, though the number of glamping guests was not recorded. He emphasized the stability of established tourism businesses as a key factor in their success in this funding round.
Projects that qualified were required to include at least 50% co-financing by the applicant, and funding is allocated across a three-year period covering 2025 to 2027.
Tatarstan submitted 39 applications totaling 1.3 billion rubles in requests, with 29 of those being selected.
The subsidy allows for a range of infrastructure investments, from road-based tourism amenities and camping equipment to beach development and city tourism enhancement.
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko explained:
“The regions can distribute the funds at their own discretion… including the creation of campsites and the purchase of camping tents, the arrangement of beaches and national tourist routes, and the implementation of projects to develop tourist centres of cities.”
Industry stakeholders view the funding as a significant opportunity to grow capacity.
“Now there is a chance to increase the number of rooms,” said Vladimir Kudashov, noting that many operators had previously directed profits toward maintaining their infrastructure rather than expansion.
For business owners in the outdoor hospitality and glamping industries, the outcome of this funding round highlights a key shift in federal tourism support strategy: an emphasis on scale, proven capability, and integration with existing infrastructure.
Operators considering future expansion should note the trend toward rewarding readiness and operational track records when seeking government support.