OREANDA-NEWS. On 03 April 2009 Republic of Karelia announced Preliminary results of participation in the international travel exhibitions before the summer tourist season of 2009.

Delegation of Karelia has returned from the international tourist exhibitions MITT and ITM held in Moscow from March 18 to 26. Participation in exhibitions before the high tourist season has allowed Karelian tour operators to generate a package of orders for the summer period. Thanks to development new tour products and active fair and exhibition activity in autumn and in winter, participation in such significant for Karelia exhibitions as the Otdykh (Vacation)(Moscow, September, 2008), MATKA (Helsinki, January, 2009) at the support of the Ministry of Economic Development of the RK it became possible for Karelian tourist industry amid the crisis to fulfil winter programs quite well. However, these are Karelian summer tour products that are traditionally the most claimed and bring most of the income of tourist industry of the republic. In the Ministry of Economic Development of the Republic of Karelia preliminary results of participation in spring tourist exhibitions have been brought, that allows to make the first forecasts for the forthcoming summer season on which results it will be possible to answer the question whether Karelian tourist industry has managed to keep its position in the market of tourist services.

MITT - 2009 international tourist exhibition (March 18-21) was a bright event in the sphere of tourism, having become one of the most important and representative branch forums for professionals of travel industry of Russia and East Europe; annually it collects more than 3.000 companies from 120 countries and regions of the world. MITT is one of the five largest tourist exhibitions of the world and is recognized by the international tourist community.

MITT exhibition is annually visited by more than 90 000 people from 500 cities of Russia, as well as from Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and other 73 countries of the world. Involving hundreds of foreign tour operators, MITT defines potential of entrance tourism and is a true showpiece of tourist opportunities of Russia. Karelia at the exhibition this year was represented by the following tourist organizations Lukomorie, Inc., Conference-Bureau, Inc., Kolmas Karelia, Inc., Russian North, Inc., North Coast, Inc., that have presented their expositions at the joint stand.

As a tradition, the republic represents its tourist potential at the Intourmarket exhibition (March, 21-24). The Ministry of Economic Development of the RK organized participation of the republican tourist companies and the hotel enterprises in the exhibition at the joint 48 sq.m. stand. To increase efficiency of participation in exhibitions for the first time Karelia was presented at its own mobile stand showing tourist potential of the republic. The stand was made of modern materials, designs, means and decorated on the basic of Tamara Yufa's paintings. Joint stand of the republic represented the Ministry of Economic Development of the Republic of Karelia, the Information tourist center of the Republic of Karelia, Karelia Tourist Holding, Inc., Kolmas Karelia, Inc., Russian North , Inc., Conference-Bureau, Inc., Lukomorie, Inc., Teatralnoye Tourist Bureau, Inc., Stella, Inc., KareliaOpen, Inc., Kizhi open-air museum, Byelomorie, Inc., Kalevala hotel, Nordic Fairy Tale, Inc.

Participation in exhibitions has shown, that offers of the Karelian tour operators keep causing steady interest of both Russian, and foreign experts. On results of participation in spring exhibitions, professionals of tourist industry have noted, that visitors of the Karelian expositions were satisfies with the volume of information, quantity of offers, quality of promotional information offered by exhibitors. Thus, effective work at exhibitions has created favorable preconditions for work of Karelian tour agencies during the forthcoming summer season and preservation of the regional tourist market under the dufficult modern conditions.