 ENG
|
   |
Tourism
Karelia, with its attractive geopolitical location, rich recreational resources and many centuries of cultural heritage, occupies a special place in the tourist market and is always interesting for both Russians and foreigners.
Unique northern nature, architecture, churches and cathedrals, museums and other objects attract tourists from all over the world. The nature of Karelia perfectly combines forest, lakes and sea landscapes. There are a number of national parks and reserves in the Republic.
There are about 4,000 cultural, historic and natural attractions in Karelia; thus, it can be called one of the tourist centers of the North-West Federal District.
There are perfect conditions for recreation and development of different types of tourism in Karelia: cultural, educational, natural, ecological, sport, water, and rural. In the rating of the choices made by Russian tourists Karelia takes the first place in active types of tourism, and the third place – in winter tourism.
In the “Guidelines of Social and Economic Development of the Republic of Karelia till 2012” tourism is named as one of the priority branches of the economy of the Republic. Due to its nature, tourism is the driving force of the regional development, stimulating development of a wide range of branches of economy, which participate in the tourist services and provide tourist products; all this increases the importance of tourism for the social and economic development of the Republic of Karelia.
Successful implementation of practically all the goals set in the republican plans of development of tourism guarantees annual stable increase of the major quantity indicators, which are used to monitor this industry.
The strategic goal for the period up to 2025 is making the share of tourism 15% of the gross regional product (today it is about 4%).
In September 2008 “Onego-Palace” hotel (130 rooms) in Petrozavodsk will open its doors for the first tourists. The construction of another hotel, “Petrovsky” for 145 tourists, has begun in Petrozavodsk, as well.
New tourist objects that were put into operation: “Denisov Mys” recreational area (Pryazha district), “Lesnoe Ozero” recreational area (Olonets district), “Arsenal” tourist complex (Sortavala district, Yanisyarvi), “Scandinavia” motel (Kostomuksha).
The following hotels have been reconstructed: “Belomorsk”, “Piipun Piha” (Sortavala), “Biryuza” (Medvezhyegorsk), “Dacha Vintera” park-hotel (Sortavala district). Hotels “Karelia”, “Prionezhsky”, Nevskaya” in Petrozavodsk, “Alekka” in Pryazha district, “Podkova” in Kostomuksha continue their modernization.
Small out of town tourist complexes, situated in different districts of the Republic, are being put into operation. The share of extra-budgetary investments in the tourism infrastructure of the Republic of Karelia seven times exceeds the average Russian data.
After the large scale investment project of building ski resort “Spasskaya Guba” is started, the amount of extra-budgetary investments will reach 3 billion rubles per year.
In 2007, the development of the General Plan of placement of the objects and infrastructure of tourism in the Republic of Karelia was completed, which made it possible to find out the most promising centers of tourist activity in the Republic of Karelia by means of gradual investment in concrete objects of the tourism infrastructure. The General plan will be the basis for providing further research, design, and construction work. (The general Plan is posted on the website)
The plan contains detailed projects outline of seven plots; these are completed investment proposals with detailed economic feasibility study.
The high demand to visit the Republic still cannot be met completely. The ratio of the hotel capacity to the number of the local citizens reached 40-45% of the standard recommended by the World Tourist Organization for developed tourist destinations.
Thus, the infrastructure of tourism in Karelia is a substantial investment niche, with good prospects for extra-budgetary investments.
|
