Meinl Airports International (MAI) has purchased 100% of shares of Mukhino Airport in Ulan-Ude (the capital of the Republic of Buryatia in the RF) and has become the first foreign company ever to buy an airport in Russia. The deal is estimated at US$24 million.
      According to MAI, it is the company’s first successful deal at a growing market and later it will be followed by some other projects in Russia. The company intends to invest in further modernization of the airport and its commercial infrastructure. It is known that earlier the company invested in airports of Central and Eastern Europe, and in the Commonwealth of Independent States.
      Specialists are sure that the airport in Ulan-Ude has great opportunities for growth and development. The region is ideal in terms of development of classical, expedition, and specialized tourism, also due to the unique nature of Lake Baikal.
      Now Buryatia is included in the list of seven regions where it is planned to create tourist-recreation zones of Russia.
      
      Sources: news.turizm.ru www.dp.ru