OREANDA-NEWS. On 12 February 2009 was announced, that working meeting of representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development led by the deputy minister Evgeny Kotkin and administration of the region with tourist organizations and enterprises forming tourism infrastructure in the metropolitan formation was held in Sortavala. Potential investors, experts of the Ministry of Emergency Measures, employment center of Sortavala also participated in the conversation. The first assistant to the head of administration of the region Leonid Gulevich conducted the meeting.

Despite of the hard financial and economic situation in the country, all the tourist organizations of the region work stably. In particular, according to director of Kolmas Karelia, Ltd., Alexander Artemyev, last year parameters on rendering hotel services have grown by 27%, on public catering - by 26% and on tourism - by 43%. The organization intends to work the same this year. As a whole on the region, the volume of rendered hotel services have grown by 35%, and the volume of rendered tourist services have grown by 65%.

Matters at the meeting mostly concerned current problems: bad street cleaning, insufficient quantity of public catering establishments, necessity to repair of facades of buildings, installation of dry closets. As quite often happens at such meetings, the conversation turned to vehicle accessibility of the territory. Heads and experts of tourist industry are concerned with unsatisfactory condition of Priozersk - Sortavala highway. They have stated their request to the Government of the republic in rendering assistance in repairing of this road, as the tourist traffic goes from Leningrad region, from Moscow through St.-Petersburg.

Besides, representatives of the branch have stated a wish to introduce a rail service from Petrozavodsk to Wärtsilä. Meanwhile, tourists first go to Sortavala, and then to Wärtsilä, and the latter causes a problem.

Investments in the region, as before, will be made in one of the leading branches. This year it is planned to invest more than 100 million roubles into five projects of constructing small hotels. For example, tourist complex Gadarika is going to invest about 50 million roubles in construction of the hotel infrastructure this year, and as much in 2010. The Black Stones Hunting Reserve company has interesting projects. To expand the hunting facilities the enterprise needs 6 more hectares of land to raise wild boars. They already have 250 wild boars, next year this number is expected to double.

Manager of the Father Vasily's Guest House Alexander Korzhavin has told of organization of private family vacation. The company has restored the 380 square meter house and this year they plan to expand the area to receive tourists.

- Sortavala is a unique region, - Evgeny Kotkin says, - where the association of tourist organizations is created, which cooperate actively with the regional administration .

On March 5 and 6 Petrozavodsk will host the traditional exhibition Kareliya Touristskaya. Sortavala region is going to take active part in it, and the administration and tourist organizations will have their separate stands. To region has got a lot to show.