OREANDA-NEWS. January 14, 2007. The unique opportunities for full-scale development of the abundant natural resources of the Caspian region, efficient use of its favourable geographic location – on the sea, air, motor and railway routes connecting Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia from ancient times, and the specific climatic conditions advantaging resort industry and international tourism are created nowadays.

That is proved by the project initiated by the President of Turkmenistan on establishment of the Avaza national tourism zone in Turkmenbashi town and its suburbs. It is a free market zone with the preferential visa system, tariff and tax treatment that drew a wide response in the international business circles that is evidenced by foreign investors’ increasing interest in the project. One can imagine the scale of the transformations taking place there by the constructions projects implemented and to be implemented in the Caspian region. These include the airport and air terminal, the Turkmenbashi-Farab highway, gas-turbine power station, desalination units, water supply systems, sewage collector, schools, kindergartens, offices, hotels, yacht club, business centre, 7-km man-made navigation river with the recreation area on its banks, sports facilities.

In the nearest future the world class health centres – hotels, holiday houses, health-improving centres offering comfortable recreation to children and adults will open the doors on the Caspian Sea coast. The ‘parade of the architectural premieres’ will start this year. The Turkish company Sehil Insaat we Tijaret Ltd Sirketi, which concluded the contracts for construction of a 308-seat holiday house and a health centre for specialists of the national law enforcement and military agencies and a 180-seat therapeutic and health-improving centre for the Ministry of Energy and Industry of Turkmenistan, started the construction works in Avaza.

In 2007, the Sehil Company won the international tender for construction of the 900-seat health-improving centre for children and adults in Avaza at the request of the Turkmenbashi oil refineries.

The Ickale Insaat Ltd Sirketi Company started the works on the construction site located nearby the Serdar Hotel. The Turkish Company is to implement the project on turnkey construction of the world class hotel with a therapeutic and health-improving centre for oil and gas industry workers of Turkmenistan. The building owner of the 220-seat health centre is the Turkmenneftegazstroy State Concern. The project is financed by the Turkemngaz State Concern and the Turkmenbashi oil refineries on share holding terms.

The Central Bank of Turkmenistan is the building owner of a 12-storeyed health centre and 180-seat holiday house. The construction project is implemented by the Polimeks Insaat Taahut we Sanayi Tijaret A.S. Company.

The Delta Uluslararasy Insaat, Turizm, Tekstil Sanayy we Tijaret Ltd. STI firm concluded the contract for construction of a 12-storeyed 200-seat health-improving centre with the Ministry of Railway Transport. At present the Turkish specialists are engaged in the works to ensure seismic protection and to prevent subsidence.

Thus, in a little time Avaza will become a ‘tourist Mecca’. Hundreds of our citizens will receive an opportunity to spend their vacations, to improve their health on the ecologically pure Caspian Sea coast. The tourist and resort centres under construction will offer everything for comfort and recreation: cozy rooms, spacious halls, restaurants with a broad range of dishes of the eastern and European cuisines, cafes, banquet and conference halls. The projects stipulate for the fitness clubs, saunas, massages parlors, open and covered swimming pools with aquatic side shows, sports and children’s play ground, shady nooks in the gardens with queer pergolas. The health centres will be supplied with up-to-date medical equipment and apparatuses for physical therapy. Thus, Avaza will provide everyone with the opportunities to recreate and improve health, to undergo a medical rehabilitation course using the latest achievements of world medicine and the healing natural factors – fresh air, solar and sea-water baths guaranteeing supply of energy and good health.

The departments of the Turkmenawtoyollary State Concern started to build the highway network in the Avaza national tourism zone, which occupies 1,700 hectares. Modern highways will connect the health resort, the airport and Turkmenbashi town. The first consignment of high-powered machines – Caterpillar bulldozers, excavators, graders was delivered to the construction site.

Fostering resort industry and international tourism in Turkmenistan is a priority of the national social and economic development. There are the major requisites for that – the beautiful modern cities and numerous ancient monuments, diverse natural landscapes and favourable climatic conditions. Therefore, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov emphasizes that the government will attach paramount significance to construction of health-improving centres, holiday houses, children’s health centres, hotels meeting the international standards on the Caspian Sea coast through making sound investments and attracting the world’s leading construction companies and firms to co-operation.