Project title

Development of spatial planning along the "Blue Road" international tourist route

Priority

1. Communications

1.1 Transportation, logistics and transport infrastructure

1.2 Access to information society

2. Strengthen sustainable economic development

2.1 Sustainable use of nature and natural resources

2.2 Business innovation and development of human resources

3. Community development

3.1 Household related service provision

3.2 Public management and spatial planning

Region / Authority

Karelian Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences

Contact person

Mr. Evgueny Ieshko

E-mail

ieshko@krc.karelia.ru

Homepage

Address

11 Pushkinskaya St., Petrozavodsk, 185610, Karelia, Russia

Phone

(814 2) 78 00 59

Fax

(814 2) 76 96 00

Project description

The project is to develop a comprehensive basis for natural and heritage tourism along the Blue Road for spatial planning purposes; to strengthen communications and interactions in the authorities-science-business system; to create the pre-requisites for involving local people in new economic activities related to eco-tourism. The main activities of the project are: Nature tourism development plan for the “Blue Road” area (study the area socio-economic features, assess the present situation in tourism, determine tourism development needs and possibilities); Development of a nature tourism model area in the “Blue Road” area; Creating geographical information system (GIS), Creating thematic web-sites "Environmental, Cultural and Heritage Tourism along the Blue Road", "Virtual Geological Museum", "Virtual Herbarium";Train the regional authorities in spatial planning issues; Starting environmental education; Advertising the area (including Eco-Festival).

Karelian Research Centre co-operate with the Regional Council of Central Finland (Co-ordinator Jarmo Koskinen, Tel.: +358-14-652200, e-mail: jarmo.koskinen@keskisuomi.fi) within the project "Information & Communication Technology as a tool for creating a more democratic process of spatial and economic planning on the regional level" (INDEPLAN) applying for assistance from the BSR INTERREG III B Programme.

Central Aim

The aims of the project are to: Strengthen and develop possibilities for spatial planning focusing on tourism based on environmental issues and nature protection, Involve local people, develop handicrafts and culture, Gather and analyse the background information about the area’s socio-economy and identify nature tourism development needs and possibilities, Create databases of environmental, cultural and heritage tourism objects, general and specialised tourist routes, Develop a comprehensive GIS-system which will serve effective development of the planning process, environment friendly tourism and environmental education, work out economic principles for tourism development, Start environmental education in the area, Increase the area’s attractiveness for small-scale nature tourism, which adds to the local residents’ earning potentials, Create a functioning network of tourism and development actors for further development of the international route “Blue Road”, Create a new information dissemination procedure to use all project actions for marketing the area and its opportunities. Developing new principles for information exchange based on a more transparent and interactive social partnership system; enhancing the authorities-science-tourist business communications

Envisaged Output

Development of international route "Blue Road", increase awareness about the area and its attractivness. The first step towards raising the economic efficiency of tourism is to improve planning at the republican and local levels that would be based on effective contacts between the authorities and business and rely on modern science. This shall also stimulate small tourist business and optimise utilisation of the natural and cultural potential of the territory.Target groups are local people, entrepreneurs, research and development institutions and local and regional authorities.

Thematic key words (5 key words maximum)

spatial planning, tourism development, GIS-system, training and education

Partners found already

Possible partner: Blue Highway Assitiation

Partners searched

institutions in Sweden, Finland, Norway

Estimated budget

200.000 Euro                                                                   

Month and Year this form is filled in: August 2002