11 May 2021

Project | “Askania – Nova” Architectural pearl

Askania-Nova National Park is the most visited tourist location in the South of Ukraine. But the tourism sector brings minimal revenue to the local community’s budget. “Askania – Nova” Architectural pearl is a project that will help to create a developed tourist infrastructure for the urban-type settlement. It will attract as many tourists as the unique natural world of the reserve and become Ukraine’s national pride.

Askania-Nova

Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve is a nature protection and research institution in the system of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, which goal is the preservation of the largest in Europe area of ​​the fescue-feather steppe. The preserve is also a part of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program.

Moreover, Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve is the winner of the Seven Natural Wonders of Ukraine — a selection of the most significant natural monuments of Ukraine. Therefore, it is an important tourist destination in the Kherson region.

Nowadays, 70-80 thousand tourists visit the reserve every year. The fact that nature park is an example of the steppe ecosystem of Eastern Europe and its uniqueness are the main reasons for its popularity among tourists. It consists of a dendrological park, a zoo, areas of feather steppe, where animals live in the wild.

“Askania – Nova” Architectural pearl

The aim of the “Askania – Nova” Architectural pearl project is to create a modern and developed tourist infrastructure. This will help to attract more tourists and increase the income for the urban-type settlement development.

Despite Askania-Nova’s proximity to the reserve, which is visited by thousands of tourists, the local community doesn’t receive much revenue from its activity. The reasons for this are the lack of modern hotel infrastructure (the sole local hotel has only 18 rooms and is open for only six months), the obsolescence of the restaurant infrastructure of the city, as well as unregulated sale of souvenirs.

In addition, the absence of a tourist route through the urban-type settlement decreases the number of tourists visiting it. All this results in the lack of job opportunities in Askania-Nova and in the decrease in the number of its population (over the past 20 years, almost a third of its population has left this urban-type settlement).

For this reason, the project covers the creation of a tourist quarter. It will include an architectural complex with an international hotel (with rooms for a wide range of budgets), small local shops, a brewery, a restaurant, wine and beer bars, a canteen, a café, etc.

Also, it will include a cinema and concert hall, a sports area, a public square (for fairs and public events), a library, and a center for innovative research. In addition, the quarter will be provided with a parking zone for private cars and tourist buses.

Attracting investment to the project

Project funding is based on the principles of social entrepreneurship. To receive investments, a public organization will be created. It allows raising grant funds and attracting qualified specialists. Also, an investment fund will be established, which allows to manage the project independently and attract big-scale institutional investors.

Furthermore, a limited liability company will be established. This way every Ukrainian will have the opportunity to invest in the project. The share of such funds will be up to 25% of the project cost.

The distribution of income from the project is mutually beneficial for both private investors and community residents:

  • 75% of the profits will be distributed among the project investors;
  • 10% will be directed to the social development of the community;
  • 15% will be directed to the development of the national park.

Stages of project implementation

The project implementation stages are the following:

Stage 1. Creation of a juridical person (and a workgroup) with the involvement of representatives of the local council, the National Park Directorate, and others. This will help to obtain the first grant funds to begin the work on the project.

Stage 2. Development of a technical proposal and concept of the “Open National Architectural Competition”.

Stage 3. Open discussion of the project with the local community and approval of the Open National Architectural Competition with a prize fund.

Stage 4. Conducting an open national architectural competition to create a tourist quarter in the municipal area near the Dendrological Park.

Stage 5. Development and approval of the financial and investment model of the project.

Stage 6. Conducting a national-wide media campaign and open attraction of private investment and credit funds to finance the project.

“Askania – Nova” Architectural pearl is an investment project with the goal to build a true national pride – a unique and successful tourist destination in the South of Ukraine.

Journalists about Southern Development Strategy Forum
On June 10-11, the Southern Development Strategy took place on Arabat Spit, which brought together more than 600 guests on...
Project | Roads of Mykolaiv region: the law that levels asphalt
Mykolaiv is an important industrial and transport center of Ukraine with a developed port economy. However, large volumes of freight...
Project | South Ukrainian Transplantology Center
The project of the South Ukrainian Transplantology Center construction in the city of Kherson is the first example of a...

    Require more information?
    Fill in the field details and we will call you back.

    Also, you can
    register on our forum