OREANDA-NEWS. December 25, 2009. The enlarged session of Coordination Council on tourism development in the republic was held in the Government of Karelia. Representatives of travel agencies, enforcement authorities and local self-government, scientific circles, heads of tourist educational institutions have taken part in the session.

Opening session of the Council, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Karelia Evgeny Kotkin has mentioned "that financial and economic crisis had a major impact on the state of affairs in the sphere of tourism, however this year none of tour operators of the republic have ceased their work. Many companies of Karelia now on the relentless competitive market offer new rather interesting products to attract tourists."

In the basic report Vladimir Chehonin, head of the department of economy of municipal formations, social sphere and tourism of the Ministry of Economic Development of Karelia, said that "on tentative estimations the total number of visits to the republic will reduce approximately by 9.8%. Thus, the organized tourist traffic will decrease by 18.3% – from 560 to 457,5 thousand people."

At the same time, the volume of tourist and excursion services on results of 2009 will make 92.1% to the level of the previous year. The aggregate gross revenue of all kinds of inbound tourism will reduce by 7.9%. Thus, there occured redistribution of tourist traffic towards growth of share of unorganized visitors with the corresponding narrowing of the spectrum of demanded tourist services. Due to growth of the number of unorganized visitors it was possible to keep or raise attendance of the majority of the basic objects of tourist interest of the republic.

The number of tourists and pilgrims to the islands of Valaam archipelago keeps staying at the level exceeding the ultimate recreational load making about 120,000 people (110,000 in 2008).

Kivach nature reserve, Vodlozersky and Paanajarvi national parks have received 98,500 people that also exceeds the last year's plan (92 000 visitings on results of 2008).

The gain of the number of visitors to Ruskeala Mountain Park has made 12.2% (22 thousand people against 18 thousand in 2008), and for Karelia Inter zoo complex this figure has made 34.2% (9.8 thousand people against 7.3 thousand).

Apart stands Kizhi State Open-Air Museum of History, Architecture and Ethnography, the largest tourist object of the republic. Total number of visitors of the island has made 162 thousand people, that is 21.0% less than the reached in 2008 record value of 205 thousand people. Thus, decrease has infringe on both Russian, and foreign tourists.

The reasons of falling of attendance of the open-air museum are essential decrease in the number of excursion trips from Petrozavodsk and calls of cruise ships, and the increase of cost of excursion trips to Kizhi, which have exceeded 2 000 roubles for the adults.

Experts of the Ministry of Economic Development of Karelia have stated key directions of activity in the sphere of tourism in the current conditions: following coordinated price policy with the purpose of increasing competitiveness of the regional tourist product on external and home tourist markets. On results of working meetings with the largest tour operators of the republic, hotel enterprises, carriers held in November in the Ministry of Economic Development of the RK arrangements on preservation of hotel and transport service costs for tourists at the level of 2009 in 2010 have been reached. The policy of purchasing uniform stands of the Republic of Karelia which gross area exceeds 40 sq m and which alongside with Ministry of Economic Development and subordinated official agency of the Information Tourist Center of the Republic of Karelia exhibit the largest tour operators of the republic continues on conditions of co-financing with the Ministry taking upon itself most of the expenses and with tourist organizations.

At the moment republic's fees have been paid for participation with the collective stand in MATKA exhibition in Helsinki in January. Participation in the INTOURMARKET exhibition to be held in March in Moscow is almost resolved.

To be held next June the Xth anniversary exhibition Tourist Karelia – 2010 will become a part of the large international forum devoted to the role of tourism in modernization of economy of Russia.

During the session of the Coordination Council it was also mentioned that, despite of the objective difficulties accompanying outsourcing of unappropriated investments for development of modern tourism infrastructure in the republic, it was possible to allow no reduction of volumes of unappropriated means by more than 24%. The important event of the second half of the expitring year was renewal of construction of Onego Palace hotel in Petrozavodsk which is planned to be completed by the anniversary of the republic.