OREANDA-NEWS  In order to develop tourism, the Sakhalin authorities plan to organize such a type of snowboarding and skiing as heli skiing in the region in winter. This was reported to TASS by the Minister of Tourism of the Sakhalin region Artem Lazarev.

"There are no plans to open new trails this year, and the plans include the development of new activities: heli skiing and freeride tours," the agency interlocutor said.

He added that there are already concrete plans with companies that are ready to provide services. "In addition to Sakhalin, these will be the Kuril Islands," Lazarev added.

Heli ski is a kind of freeride on untouched snow slopes, away from prepared trails, with an ascent to the beginning of the descent by helicopter.