Makhachkala, October 2, 2016. The first group of Chinese tourists can travel on the new route "Great Silk Road" across the Northern Caucasus in 2017, the advisor to the Russian Minister for the Affairs of the Northern Caucasus, Stanislav Aristov said.

"During the information tour with Chinese tour operators we agreed on the practical side of the issue - Aristov says. I think we can accept the first group of tourists in the spring of 2017".

The head of the diplomatic mission of China's State Administration for tourism affairs in Russia Zhao Huntsin, in turn, said that the participation of the Chinese tour operators in the route opening ceremony allowed to analyze and form actual offers for the tourists. "The purpose of our visit was to make a better presentation of the North Caucasian Federal District of Russia to the Chinese. We have been able to experience the full beauty of the Caucasus region and the hospitality of the local people - Zhao Huntsin said. Each region and each tourist site of the Northern Caucasus is unique and has its own charm".

The six-day info-tour route "Great Silk Road" became the first encounter with the Northern Caucasus for the Chinese tourist industry professionals. They visited six entities of North Caucasus Federal District - Dagestan, Chechnya, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Stavropol region and Karachay-Circassia.

"The route from Makhachkala to Kavminvod need to be improved, expanded and then offered to the tourists for it is on the stage of the draft project" - Zhao Huntsin confessed.