REGIONAL ECONOMY • The issue theme: TOURISM UDC 338.48(470.11) © V.E. Toskunina © N.N. Shpanova Development of tourism in the Arkhangelsk area This article is devoted to the development and functioning of the regional tourism industry. The main problem of inbound and domestic tourism, the tourism infrastructure state, supply and demand in the tourist market of the Arkhangelsk region are considered in the article. The assessment of historical and cultural factors in the development of regional tourism and regional promotion of tourist products is also given in the article. The tourism branch, regional tourism. Vera E. TOSKUNINA Doctor of Economics, Head of division, Arkhangelsk Scientific Center of the Ural RAS department Natalia N. SHPANOVA Chief searching authority of the Committee on Culture of the Arkhangelsk Region Modern tourism is actively growing sector become comfortable, interesting attracted not of many economies of the world. Despite its only Russians, but also flows of tourists from high tourist potential, Russia is far from ad- other countries. vanced positions on the global tourism market, Available in the Arkhangelsk region of creating mostly visiting flows. As a percentage unique natural complexes and picturesque of gross national product of tourism is less than landscapes with a rich and endemic flora one percent. The main constraint to the devel- and fauna, historical monuments and archi- opment of both domestic and inbound tourism tecture, as well as the culture heritage of the remained steady appreciation the value of travel Russian North can become the basis for the packages. The ratio of price and quality, and development of tourism industry region. But, variety of overseas tourism services induced in spite of the existing tourism potential, favo- many Russians, to the choice of foreign travel. rable geographical and political situation, the At the same time, the price of a week-long tour Arkhangelsk region occupies a very modest of Russia for foreign tourists has grown by an place in the tourist market. The main directions average of almost three times compared with of tourism flows – the Solovki, Arkhangelsk, 2001. There is an urgent need, finally, solve the Severodvinsk, Onega, Kargopol, Kenozero and basic problems of incoming and domestic tour- Pinezha. But while half the incoming flow is in ism. For leisure and travel in our country have Arkhangelsk. 52 1 (5) 2009 Economical and social changes: facts, trends, forecast REGIONAL ECONOMY • The issue theme: TOURISM V.E. Toskunina, N.N. Shpanova There are near 60 companies working on One of the traditional holiday in Russia the tourist market of Arkhangelsk region to- has been and remains a health resort. In many day,6 of them are tour operators, others are regions, just medical institutions based on the engaged in travel agency activities. In recent curative properties of natural therapeutic fac- years, the number of travel companies in the tors become holiday place for a considerable Arkhangelsk region greatly increased (fig. 1). part of tourists. In the Arkhangelsk region for This reduces the number of tour operators many years, there are 7 sanatorium (includ- and a growing number of travel agencies. The ing guest houses with medical treatment), 11 number of workers in this area does not exceed sanatorium-preventorium (up to 2007 – 13) 250 people, including workers and employees and a holiday center, in general, calculated to of an unscheduled. And although for the pe- 2,5 thousand places, and 9 recreation center riod nearly doubled the number of tickets sold on the 730 seats. populations, but it happened due to increase in Designed and implemented social and eco- sales of tours to foreign countries (fig. 2). The nomic program «Development of tourism in total cost of the public tourist tours in 2007 the Arkhangelsk Region (2007 – 2009 years)»1, amounted to 570 million rubles. tourist complex, providing ample opportu- Figure 1. The number of travel companies in the Arkhangelsk region, including those which are engaged in travel agency activities 70 60 60 53 48 50 43 41 34 40 29 30 18 20 10 0 2004 г. 2005 г. 2006 г. 2007 г. Number of firms Tourist agency activity Figure 2. Quantity of sold tourist vouchers 25000 20782 20000 18331 14404 13202 15000 11150 9791 8540 10000 7773 7745 6659 7580 5000 3377 0 2004 г. 2005 г. 2006 г. 2007 г. Total In Russia In foreign countries Economical and social changes: facts, trends, forecast 1 (5) 2009 53 Development of tourism in the Arkhangelsk area nity to meet the needs of Russian and foreign development of tourism infrastructure; citizens in a variety of tourism, promoting the web-site maintenance. conservation and efficient use of tourist and Expected outcomes of the Program: recreational resources. Program includes: • creating the conditions for a modern and improving information security manage- competitive tourist market, the conservation ment system of tourist-recreation complex; and efficient use of tourist and recreational formation of the modern marketing strat- potential of the region; egies to support and promote regional tourist • development of tourism as an industry products in the domestic and international specialization, have a stimulating effect on the markets; economy of the region and improving the qual- improvements in the management of ity of life; development of tourist-recreation complex and • broadening the tax base through the entry structure of the tourism market of the region; of new tourist facilities and accommodation, creation of new tourism network; creating more jobs, increase tax revenues from encourage the development of tourism in- tourism in the budgets of all levels; frastructure by attracting domestic and foreign • promote the development adjacent to the investment for reconstruction of the existing sphere of tourism industries. material and technical basis, creation of new Although the program states that "major tourist facilities and accommodation; constraints of development of tourism in the staffing industry, improving the quality of Arkhangelsk region is the lack of public support services in the tourism and hospitality. for the development of the sector budget alloca- Among the main activities of the Program: tions" (Section 1 "Contents of the problem and information support the tourism indus- rationale for its decision software techniques"), try; the structure of financing of the Program does promoting tourism in the municipalities not reflect the declared financial sentiments of the region; (fig. 3). development human resource capacity The total amount of funding for the Pro- of the tourism industry; gram is 366 370 thousand rubles, including: the Figure 3. The structure of financing of the Program "Development of tourism in the Arkhangelsk Region (2007 – 2009 years)",% 1,90% 96,90% 1,20% Regional budget Local budgets Extra-budgetary sources 54 1 (5) 2009 Economical and social changes: facts, trends, forecast REGIONAL ECONOMY • The issue theme: TOURISM V.E. Toskunina, N.N. Shpanova regional budget – 7 000 thousand rub.; Funds Solovky. By sea you can get to the Solovki only from local budgets – 4 320 thousand rubles; through Karelia. In Arkhangelsk, as already Extra-budgetary sources – 355 050 thousand noted, there are good hotels to accommodate rubles. visitors to the city, but modern tourist class On the question of financing: The Gov- hotels need for the development of the tour- ernment of the Vologda region has adopted a ism industry. All this requires considerable re- long-term targeted program "Veliky Ustyug – sources. Consequently, if we want to make this the birthplace of Father Frost" in 2009 – 2010, industry one of the main strategic directions of which allocated about 90 million rubles infra- the socio-economic development of the region, structure development fiefdom of Father Frost you must create an enabling environment for in the Veliky Ustyug Municipal District. At the investment in it. same time from the district budget in two years To ensure that tourism has become one of is planned to allocate almost 11 million rubles, the leading industries of region’s specialization, from the budget of the Vologda region – more should make great efforts, including organi- than 78 million rubles. The funds will be spent zational, promotional and financial. But only on design and construction of infrastructure advertisement is not enough. facilities at the fiefdom of Father Frost in the Industry’s operating schedule is not directed town of Veliky Ustyug, as well as the various at optimizing the work with the client and does activities under the project. not take into account the specifics of the travel In recent years, some positive developments business, and politics increasing price leads to in the formation of regional infrastructure of a reorientation of the tourist flow to other re- the tourism industry have been in the Arkhan- gions. During holidays the service is trying to gelsk region. There are good hotels to accom- arrange a weekend, on the eve of New Year holi- modate visitors of the city, a lot of food service days, many trains are canceled, the museums companies of high-level in Arkhangelsk. There are closed. Observed that in countries where are some positive changes in the field of tourism tourist industry actively grows the majority of areas of the region. travel agencies are dealing with internal and Opened timber hotel «Golubino» provides entrance tourism, we have the same picture of a range of tourist services. Pinega develops, the the reverse: the majority of travel agencies send guest house with rooms of high class was opened tourists abroad. there. Recently, the programs of the museum of It is necessary to the formation and promo- wooden architecture "Malye Korely" are very tion of tourist products. The analysis shows different, tourists go there with pleasure. The that in Russia there are tourist offices of dif- ski tourism is developed in Onega. ferent countries, they cooperate closely with In general, the tourism infrastructure in the the national tourism business, to promote its region developed very poorly and does not fully tourist products, organizing familiarization conform to the revitalization and tourism de- tours.