Rosturizm plans to promote diamond tourism in Yakutia
© RIA Novosti. Sergey Subbotin

Rosturizm plans to promote diamond tourism in Yakutia

The Russian Federal Agency for Tourism, or Rosturizm, and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) will work together to promote diamond tourism in the region, the Izvestia newspaper reported.

The "diamond tours" include trips to local jewelry factories, where tourists can watch the diamond-cutting and jewelry-making process and buy any of the items that strike their eye.

"Our task is to encourage tourists and potential buyers to visit Yakutia. Diamond tourism holds much promise," head of the agency Oleg Safonov said.

The agency has signed an agreement with Sakha on advertising the republic's diamond brand abroad, he said

Diamond tourism will use the same principle as fur coat tours to Greece, where local fur producers cover the flight, accommodation and sightseeing costs, while tourists are obliged to buy fur products worth no less than a certain amount of money fixed in the voucher.

Sakha jewelry companies insist that their investment in diamond tours will pay back only if the overall flight and accommodation costs per tourist does not exceed 40,000 rubles.

"Also, the tourists must purchase jewelry for at least 200,000 rubles for a tour to fully pay off," the newspaper said citing the head of a local jewel-making firm.