Eco-efficient tourism project kick-off meeting (КА 358)

1. Eco-efficient tourism project kick-off meeting(КА 358) Petrozavodsk June 13, 2012

2. Project objectives Making Euregio Karelia more attractive for tourists through gradual leveling of the quality of services provided to tourists on the two sides of the border Specific objectives: • Promoting introduction of eco-efficient technologies of recreational area management and improving the quality of services offered in active tourism destinations in Republic of Karelia (Lake Ladoga and Syamozero areas) in co-operation with adjacent Finnish areas; • Making pilot areas more comfortable, safe and environmentally friendly & known for these features; • Improving cross-border tourism transboundary practices and regional development co-operation.

3. Partners Russian partners: • Non-profit partnership «Centre for problems of the North, Arctic and cross-border cooperation» (Lead partner) • Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences • Automous non-profit organization «Energy Efficiency Centre» • Educational facility for secondary vocational training «Petrozavodsk Municipal Utility College» • Pryazha National Municipal District Administration • Sortavala Municipal District Administration Finnish partners: • Ecofoster Group Oy (Oulu) • Finnish Environment Institute (Joensuu office) • Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for North Karelia • Metsähallitus, Natural Heritage Services, South Finland/North Karelia. • Ilomantsi Municipality • Karelia Expert (Associate partner).

4. Payments

5. Main activities WP 1 (Institutional level) Development of models for sustainable management of actively visited tourism destinations: • Gathering of information and assessment of the current situation in the pilot and reference areas(KarRC) • Study of the Finnish experience and best practices in management of recreational areas of the selected type and roadside stopover sites (Ilomantsi Municipality) • Development of optimal management models for the pilot areas (KarRC, SYKE)

6. Main activities WP 2 (Technical and investment level) Development and introduction of environmentally sustainable technological solutions for facilitation of specific recreation areas and tourist routes: • Assessment of existing Russian practices and potential for introduction of Finnish experience in technical facilitation of open-use sites along popular tourist routes(KarRC, KAEEC) • Preparation of Terms of Reference for demo projects(KAEEC, Ecofoster Group) • Implementation of pilot demo projects(KAEEC, Ecofoster Group, Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment) • Preparation of investment business-plans for follow-up of demo projects(KAEEC, Ecofoster Group, Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment)

7. Pilot demo projects А) Facilitating two campsites in long-stay recreation areas (several days to several weeks at the beach) – Lake Syamozero and Ladoga skerries shores B) Facilitating short-stay (a few minutes to a few hours) stopover sites along the “Blue Highway” route Provisional list of technical solutions for facilitation of pilot areas: • Dry toilets • Garbage containers • Beach dressing booths • Water supply systems • Facilitated picnic areas • Tent areas • Information boards, etc. C) Choosing and preparing visibility sites for maximum visitor interest and local population commitment and co-operation (in both Russia and Finland); using chosen visibility structures for creating and maintaining permanent interest

8. Main activities WP 3 (Knowledge building and visibility level) Training and marketing : • Preparation and publication of manuals and guidelines on management of open-use recreation areas(KarRC) • Organization and implementation of a training seminar in Petrozavodsk on dissemination of expertise in recreation area management(KarRC, Petrozavodsk Municipal Utility College) • Organization and implementation of a training seminar in a pilot area on dissemination of expertise in recreation area management (KAEEC, Pryazha) • Design and content-building of the project website (KarRC, Ilomantsi Municipality) • Publications(KarRC, Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment): • Preparation and manufacturing of information boards for the pilot sites. • Working out the marketing plan • guidebook on the tourist infrastructure along the “Blue Highway” • informational brochures on particularities of territories along the “Blue Highway”

9. Main activities WP 4 (Horizontal level) Transboundary actions & meetings: • Development of platforms, processes and actions including active involvement of transboundary targets and actors. Effective use of electronic opportunities (platforms, dissemination, translation) • Assessment of potential for more effective cooperation in the sphere of tourist attraction and people-to-people contacts

10. Main activities Transboundary actions & meetings (seminars, trainings, etc.): • Kick-off meeting and Opening seminar in Petrozavodsk, June 13-15, 2012 (North Centre, KAEEC) • Project pilot sites exploring, July 16-17, 2012 (KarRC) • Working meeting in Pryazha, month 4(KarRC, Pryazha) • Study visit to Finland, month 6 (Ilomantsi Municipality) • Seminar "Investments" in Joensuu, month 12(Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment) • Seminar "Models" in Sortavala, month 15 (KAEEC, Sortavala) • Seminar “Marketing” in Ilomantsi(Ilomantsi Municipality) • Closing conference in Petrozavodsk, month 23(North Centre, KAEEC)

11. Thank you for your attention!