Ï Avaza: yesterday, today, tomorrow
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Avaza: yesterday, today, tomorrow

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In May, 2007 during the Summit of the heads of Turkmenistan, Russia and Kazakhstan President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov announced the initiative to create a world-class resort on the ecologically clean Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea. It was then that the name of Avaza settlement where the construction of the international for recreation and tourism complex was launched became known all over the world.


The first presentation of the seaside resort that brought together dozens of foreign construction and investment companies took place in the Serdar Hotel two months after the Summit on July 21, 2007. The projects of the first stage of construction of the recreational zone with the total area of 7.5 million square metres presented in the models and video clips not only produced profound impression but also made to believe in the new future of Avaza. In September in that year Avaza hosted the international forum – the conference on the ways to combat against illicit traffic of drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors attended by representatives of the Interpol, law enforcement agencies of leading countries of the world and authoritative international organisations. The forum as if delegated the status of the high-level negotiating platform and the zone of a healthy lifestyle to Avaza.


The business forum which was held in December in that year can be regarded as the launch of the unprecedented project on the Caspian seashore. It was then that the President of Turkmenistan awarded the certificates for the allocation of lands to a number of foreign companies which had expressed the willingness to construct and invest in construction of facilities in Avaza. However, the first stage of construction in the Avaza national tourism zone was pioneered by Turkmen ministries, departments, concerns, corporations and enterprises.


The first flag raised above the Watanci health improvement and recreation centre – the largest resort facility in the tourism zone at that time designed for 308 visitors and constructed at the request of Turkmen military and law enforcement agencies marked the completion of the construction project. Then the triumphant pennants were hoisted above the modern health improvement centres and hotels built for specialists of the water, railway transport, oil and gas, power and other sectors of the national economy. White-marble buildings grew up there like flowers in the springtime adorning the seashore that has been awaken to a new life.


Building premieres followed one another in background of rapidly developed infrastructure in the modern seaside and tourism zone. The gas-turbine power station with the capacity of 254 megawatt and the desalination unit with the capacity of 35,000 cubic metres per day were put into operation in Avaza on April 12, 2010. The large-scale planting campaign started in Avaza and the new international airport with the acceptance rate of 800 passengers per hour was put into operation in Turkmenbashi town on that day. The opening of the 7-km navigation canal with eleven highway and foot bridges was the apogee of the festivities to mark the putting into operation of new infrastructure facilities in Avaza.


The summer of 2010 began with the opening of two new sanatoriums, Dayanc for children and Arzuw for adults, which were built at the request of the National Centre of Trade Unions and the Turkmenbashi complex of oil refineries.

The sea geysers from 40 to 100 metres high and the park ensemble of interactive fountains appeared on the seashore in Avaza on October 8, 2010. These complexes are stuffed with laser and special equipment used to present holographic, water and musical show. At that time various recreation and entertainment facilities and the huge amphitheatre were opened.


All this time Avaza was hosting international festivals, conferences, seminars, symposiums, business forums and top-level meetings.

Dozens of big foreign investors, Turkmen entrepreneurs, state-run institutions and enterprises have been involved in developing the Avaza national tourism zone. The new high-rise buildings of hotels, guest houses, cottages, recreation, entertainment and sports centres are springing up all over on the Caspian seashore. The implementation of new projects will allow increasing the number of holidaymakers on holiday in Avaza up to 3,500 people.


The development of the 10-million square metres territory where resort facilities are to be constructed and 33 million square metres territory to be planted with forest belts and national park with protected natural landscapes is to follow.


The third stage covers the construction of stadiums, automobile racetracks, cycle tracks, yacht clubs, golf grounds and other sports facilities in the Avaza national tourism zone along with health resort and tourism facilities. Shopping, business and spa centres will spring up on the seashore. The dolphinarium, planetarium and open-air museum with the collection of the models of world-known historical and natural sites of Turkmenistan will appear the map of spectacular entertainments. The impressive building of the Congress Palace that will become the venue for international meetings will be built in the meander in the south of the seaside resort.

Modern transport infrastructure in the maritime town which use several modes of transport, surface, air and water, will help to create comfort for tourists. After completing the projects of the North-South railway, the Farab-Turkmenbashi highway and the Turkmenbashi international seaport tourists and holidaymakers in this region will dramatically increase in number. Innovations in this sphere will turn the maritime town into the strategic transport nodal point on the Eurasian continent.