Crimea’s ‘Golden Sands’ Resort Project Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of SPIEF 2026

Developers behind the massive federal resort “Golden Sands of Russia” in Crimea will unveil the next stage of construction at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2026, the resort’s press office announced Monday.

The project has cleared a major hurdle: state experts have approved the design documentation for new transport infrastructure. A contract is expected to be signed soon for the first phase of a parallel road that will open up the territory and allow full-scale development to begin.

“We are entering a new phase,” said Yakub Asanov, general director of Monolit Group, the lead investor. “With the road plan approved, we can start building the transport backbone of the resort. The new four-lane highway will provide the logistics needed to launch construction across the entire site.”

Work will also begin on the resort’s first hotel, the flagship “Crimean Riviera.” Asanov said the property will set the quality standard for all future tourism infrastructure at what is planned to become one of Russia’s largest year-round destinations.

Resort CEO Vadim Volchenko will provide more details during a session titled “From Resort to Cluster: How the Economy of Tourist Territories Evolves” at the Roskongress Urban Hub business program.

The federal project, ordered by the president, falls under the national “Tourism and Hospitality” initiative and the “Five Seas and Lake Baikal” program. Located on Crimea’s western coast between Saki and Yevpatoria, the resort will eventually include 19 hotels, plus health, sports, and business facilities. Once complete, it is expected to welcome more than one million visitors annually.