News

Head of the Republic of Karelia Sergey Katanandov has taken part in session of The Baltic Governors' Club, which is the organization that in the informal atmosphere works out ways for development of economy and society in the Northwest and discusses various issues. This time for the first time Sergey Katanandov's participation in the session was 'virtual': a teleconference bridge was established between Petrozavodsk and St.-Petersburg, and the Head of the Republic has had a talk to the governor of St.-Petersburg Valentina Matvienko and the audience.

The question started this time is very actual for Karelia which positions itself as a territory attractive for tourists from Russia and from abroad. Almost two million tourists come to the republic annually. About 14% of its incomes Karelia receives from tourism. Sergey Katanandov has told participants of the session about it. However, Head of the Republic realizes that both incomes, and the tourist flow in the republic could be many times as large.

What does impede it? What does the modern tourist want and aspire? Why Russians prefer to have a vacation abroad, instead of the in the homeland? These were the issues of the conversation of governors, experts, representatives of the public, and journalists.

Other regions of the Northwest, as a matter of fact, face the same problems as Karelia: backwardness of the tourist and household infrastructure, lack of modern tourist products, high prices of hotel accommodation and transportation, low standard of services. Even rather safe St.-Petersburg lacks all these things.

Participants of the discussion have planned a number of joint activities to improve the situation. In particular, Sergey Katanandov has supported the offer of Valentina Matvienko to establish a so-called Silver Ring of Russia which would include regions of the Northwest and would follow some common tourist ideology.