OREANDA-NEWS. April 11, 2011. At the organizational support of the State Committee of the Republic of Karelia for Youth, Physical Training, Sports and Tourism, tourist and hotel companies of Karelia have taken part in the uniform stand of the IX specialized tourist exhibition LENTRAVEL – 2011, St.-Petersburg. The exhibition provided workplace for six tourist and hotel companies of the Republic of Karelia.

Alexander Voronov, Chairman of the State Committee of the RK for Youth, Physical Training, Sports and Tourism, has taken part in the opening ceremony. Representatives of the State Committee of the RK for Youth, Physical Training, Sports and Tourism negotiated development of inter-regional cooperation in the sphere of tourism with heads of executive bodies of Leningrad region and St.-Petersburg responsible for development of this sphere, as well as with representatives of scientific and educational organizations of St.-Petersburg.

Delegation of the Republic of Karelia has taken part in work of inter-regional conference Rural Tourism – Fashion or Profit held within the scope of the exhibition. Vladimir Gromov, Head of the Department for Tourism Development of the State Committee of the RK for Youth, Physical Training, Sports and Tourism, spoke of experience of rural tourism development in the Republic of Karelia. Participants of the conference were of a high opinion of the republic's experience as of the first region in Russia where international pilot projects in the sphere of the rural tourism were implemented in 2000-2003 and foundations were laid for formation of scientific and methodical base for rural tourism development in the Russian Federation.

There has been held a working meeting with S.Hodko, Vice-President and Chairman of the executive committee of North-West Association, employees of bodies of the Association. Matters at the meeting concerned organization of activities of the Committee for Tourism of North-West Association chaired by Alexander Voronov.

Together with heads of the Corporation for Development of the Republic of Karelia, Inc., (Director A.Smirnov) there have been held some activities focused on mobilization of investments into tourism infrastructure of the Republic of Karelia. Union of Designers (President A.Timofeev), St.-Petersburg, was a venue for a working meeting the considered architectural and planning concepts of formation of a tourist and excursion zone in near the site where a group of petroglyphs on the coast of the White Sea in Byelomorsk region is located. Negotiations were held with the management of PMI Corporation (President E.Finkelshtein) where 9 offers concerning implementation of investment projects in the sphere of tourism within the territory of the Republic of Karelia were discussed.