Kavkaz.RF will present plans for the further development of tourism SEZs in the Caucasus at the Caucasus Investment Forum.

The creation of special economic zones (SEZs) is considered one of the most effective government support measures for business. The Development Institute Kavkaz.RF manages SEZ resorts at various stages of development, from the legendary Elbrus, with a tourist flow of approximately 800,000 people per year, to the Caspian Coastal Cluster, where infrastructure development has only just begun.

Participants in Kavkaz.RF's business sessions on key areas of the company's work will address the development of such projects, from finding investors to formalizing agreements and fulfilling obligations. The session on fine-tuning the SEZ regime will be held in collaboration with the relevant department of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development. The results of this work will be presented at the exhibition; in particular, the Kavkaz.RF stand will be dedicated to the first full season of the new Mamison ski resort in North Ossetia.

In a separate section, experts will discuss import substitution and construction in mountainous regions. The session "Ski Sovereignty of the Country: Mission Possible" will bring together industry leaders such as Ruslet and the Sinara Group. Incidentally, Kavkaz.RF will exhibit key strategic Ruslet products—a fully domestically produced detachable ropeway clamp and a control and automation cabinet.

The business program will place special emphasis on personnel training. The session on this topic is entitled "Human Resource Potential for Tourism in the North Caucasus: How to Staff New Resorts." Kavkaz.RF is preparing it in collaboration with the Association for the Development of Human Resource Potential in the Tourism Industry of the North Caucasus Federal District.

The main idea of ​​the session is this: by 2030, the extensive recruitment process will be exhausted, and the demand for specialists in the Caucasus could reach 50,000. The only solution is to increase labor productivity through the implementation of lean manufacturing, digitalization, robotics, and the acquisition of new competencies. This complex path will be broken down into its most basic components by entrepreneurs—members of the Association and industry experts.

Kavkaz.RF's key creative cases will be featured in the creative industries session "Creators or Craftsmen?" They will be complemented by striking projects from across the country—Kermen Mandzhieva's "Smell Terra," a Kalmyk steppe-inspired scent; the Kubachi Combine as an art space for crafts from Dagestan; the "Platforma" urban development center from Nalchik; the "New Russian Cultural Code" channel; and others.

Traditionally, one of the forum's most vibrant platforms is the investor session, moderated by Andrey Tsemakhovich, First Deputy General Director of Kavkaz.RF. This year, it has an expressive title: "The North Caucasus—a Sleeping Giant for Investment. How to Awaken It?" As is traditional with previous forums, the discussion will focus on barriers facing investors, stereotypes and challenges, as well as the experiences of those who have successfully "awakened" the investment giant.

The forum's business program will be held on April 29-30 during the main days of the forum. A new feature of KIF-2026 will be special presentations by the heads of the North Caucasus Federal District regions and their teams, dedicated to the investment potential of each region.

The Kavkaz.RF delegation at the forum will be led by CEO Andrey Yumshanov. In addition to the business program, the development institute is preparing the central exhibition, which will feature the company's main projects in the form of a contemporary art gallery.

Kavkaz.RF is under the management of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak is the curator of the North Caucasus Federal District in the Russian Government.