OREANDA-NEWS. September 5, 2012. Karelian Research Center of the Russian Academy of Science hosts international seminar devoted to issues of development of cross-border cultural tourism, as well as promotion of tourism prospects of regions of North Karelia (Joensuu) and Karelia (Petrozavodsk).

This is the first start seminar of the project of Modern Old Town:Improvement of Cross-Border Cultural Tourism which partners are the Administration of Joensuu, Finland, the leading partner of the project, the Kizhi State Open-Air Museum of History, Architecture and Ethnography, the Administration of Petrozavodsk urban district, Karelian Research Center of the Russian Academy of Science, Center of Cultural Initiatives, Karelian Regional Institute of Management, Economy and Law of PetrSU, as well as Centre for Tourism Studies of University of Eastern Finland, Karelia Expert Tourism Development Agency, North Karelia University of Applied Sciences.

Karelia has a great recreation potential, a considerable choice of tourist cultural and natural objects, little known, although interesting to tourists. And it is cultural tourism, festivals and cultural events that have always been an important part of the tourist resource. However, insufficient information availability on tourist objects, places of interest, events on both sides of the border and its inconsistency limit prospects of development of tourist industry and opportunities of cross-border tourism essentially.

The project has got financial support amounting to € 542,000 within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument (ENPI) Karelia Program and its activities are focused on improvement of information exchange in the sphere of tourism, including involvement of information resources and modern know-how in this area, increase of efficiency of marketing and advertising events aimed to increase tourist competitiveness of Petrozavodsk in the Russian and international markets, development of new tourist products (routes) in historical centre of the city, as well as in the Quarter of Historical Buildings of the city.

During the project implementation it is planned to develop the strategy of tourism development in Petrozavodsk, to implement of joint academic programs for specialists working for travel agencies, as well as for specialists involved in the organization of cultural events to increase their competence in the sphere of branding, marketing, advertising of tourist products in this market. The project also provides investment expenses for reconstruction of cultural and historical objects in the Quarter of Historical Buildings of Petrozavodsk.

It is expected that implementation of the project will result in occurrence of preconditions for steady development of cross-border cultural tourism and will create favorable conditions for sharing the following results of the partners' activities, including the information resource uniting the information on tourist objects of Petrozavodsk and Joensuu, the calendar of cultural events of the partner cities, guidebooks, visual markers directing guests to the Quarter of Historical Buildings, 4 cultural events scheduled to take place in Petrozavodsk and Joensuu in 2012-2013.