OREANDA-NEWS. January 17, 2013. Ministry of the Republic of Karelia of Youth Affairs, Physical Training, Sports and Tourism has organized participation of the republic in the international exhibition MATKA-2013 on January, 17-20.

Representatives of Karelian tourist industry traditionally take part in the exhibition at the uniform stand of the Russian Federation together with the Federal Agency on Tourism and the Government of St.-Petersburg. The stand of Karelia presents the Information Tourist Center and five leading tour agencies of the republic working in the market of inbound tourism.

Three more companies from Petrozavodsk, Sortavala and Olonets, as well as the pilgrim service of the Valaam monastery are presented at the stand of the Finnish company Futurist. Joint participation in the exhibition is provided by the Protocol of intentions on development of cooperation in the sphere of tourism signed on December 27, 2012 between the Ministry of the Republic of Karelia of Youth Affairs, Physical Training, Sports and Tourism and the Regional Union of Communes of Northern Osterbotten (Finland). According to the Protocol, the parties carry out joint marketing of the tourist zone of Pohjola which includes territories of provinces of Northern Osterbotten, Kainuu in Finland and northern areas of the Republic of Karelia in Russia. In particular, expositions of Kalevala metropolitan region and Kostomuksha urban district under the title of the White Sea Karelia at the stand of regions of Northern Osterbotten and Kainuu under uniform brand of Pohjola (from the Gulf of Bothnia to the White Sea) were organized in addition.

Besides the information exchange and joint participation in tourist exhibitions, the Protocol provides joint marketing, promotion of tourist products, training of qualified personnel, and mobilization of funds for implementation of joint projects in the sphere of tourism.

Thus, the delegation of the Republic of Karelia at MATKA exhibition in 2013 looks rather impressively: more than 10 tour operators of the Republic of Karelia, The Information Tourist Center the Republic of Karelia SE, administrations of Kalevala metropolitan region and Kostomuksha urban district. It emphasizes importance of the tourist market of Scandinavian countries for the Republic of Karelia, as it is the third on sales of Karelian tourist products after the tourist markets of agglomerations of Moscow and St.-Petersburg.