Acta Geoturistica volume 9 (2018), number 1, 23-29 doi: 10.1515/agta-2018-0003 Geological Tourism Development In The Finnish-Russian Borderland: The Case Of The Cross-Border Geological Route “Mining Road”

1 2 JARI K. NENONEN AND SVETLANA V. STEPANOVA 1 Geological Survey of , P.O. Box 1237 FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland (e-mail: [email protected]) 2 Institute of Economics, Karelian Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 50, A. Nevskogo Str., 185030, Russian Federation (e-mail: [email protected])

ABSTRACT The Finnish-Russian borderland has a unique geological potential for geological tourism development. Creating new tourist attractions based on geoheritage, design and development of the cross-border tourist routes open new opportunities for tourism development on both sides of the border. The article presents the cross- border geological tourist route “Mining Road” as a tool of activation of tourist activity in the Finnish-Russian borderland. This article explores the practical aspects of the project "Mining Road" development for tourism industry. It is proven the significance of cross-border route "Mining road" for preservation, popularization and reproduction of the natural, cultural and historical potential of the borderland.

Keywords: geotourism, cross-border geological route, “Mining Road”, Finland, Republic of .

INTRODUCTION cooperation in tourism sphere. The relevance of our research is caused With the growing significance of by two factors. On the one side, the environment protection and sustainable Finnish-Russian borderland has unique development the geological tourism is geological resources which can be used not considered as a new perspective direction of only in mining industry but also as a the nature based tourism which can potential for regional development based on contribute to geoheritage conservation and sustainable tourism development. On the stimulate the economic activities in the other side, design and development of a regions (Dowling, 2010; Dowling, 2013; cross-border tourist route increases Hose et al., 2011). The importance of opportunities for promotion of unique creating a new tourist centers and geoheritage of the territory, enhancing development of the destinations is business activity along the route on both increasing in the conditions of competition side of the border and cohesion tourist between countries, regions and companies space of the border regions. for tourists and investment. The geology The aim of this paper is to present the provides wide opportunities for creating geological tourist route “Mining road” as a new tourist attractions on its base. The tool of stimulating tourist activity for borderland has a unique geographical regional development in the Finnish- position that gives an extra opportunity for Russian borderland based on geological the protection and promotion of the tourism. geological heritage within international

© 2018 Jari K. Nenonen and Svetlana V. Stepanova. This is an open access article licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/). 23 Acta Geoturistica volume 9 (2018), number 1, 23-22

GEOLOGICAL TOURISM geotourist? According to C. Grant six types DEVELOPMENT IN THE of visitors to geosites exist, ranging from BORDERLAND unaware visitors to geo-experts (Grant, 2010). A key issue is the examining of the Since the first definition of a geotourism correlation of the geological tourism by Thomas Hose in 1995 this phenomena is development to the interests of tourists who stabily developing and getting niche form look for new experiences and new of sustainable tourism in the world (Hose et impressions (Kotrla et al., 2016). al., 2011). There are four major approaches Nowadays the geotourism is growing to definitions of a geotourism in geological rapidly with travel and appreciation of sense (Goki et al., 2016): natural landscapes and geological 1. a tourism where the major attraction is phenomena continuing to grow as a new the geological heritage, the promoting of form of the global tourism industry its leads to the development of the Earth (Dowling, 2010; Dowling, 2013; Hose et Sciences; al., 2011). The part of geotourism 2. a knowledge-based tourism; development studies is devoted to 3. a form of nature based tourism focused opportunities of promotion of a unique on landscape and geology; geological, geomorphological and mining 4. the provision of interpretative and potential as tourist attraction (Vukojević, service facilities for geosites and 2011; Goki et al., 2011; Madziarz, 2013; geomorphosites. Rozycki & Dryglas, 2016). Special The development of geological attention deserve researches that assess the knowledge up to recent years has focused tourist value of the geological and on the exploitation of earth resources for geomorphological sites (Pralong, 2005; mans well-being. Conscious efforts need to Štrba & Rybár, 2015; Tamara & Milica, be made to ensure continued preservation of 2016). The practical result of this an important geological heritage while evaluation is the base for promotion and developing these geological resources at the including sites in the tourist sphere of the same time. In this case geotourism has regional economy (Albă. 2016). close connection to ecotourism, the latter The geographical position of the balances between leisure and nature borderland opens an extra opportunity for conservation. Moreover, geotourism having the protection, popularization and high educational value promotes knowledge promotion of the geological sites within about the Earth's surface and interiors, its cross-border cooperation. Nowadays the Past, Present, and Future, as well as about transnational UNESCO Global Geoparks common geological processes and have been established in the borderlands spectacular phenomena (Nenonen & where geosites and landscapes have Portaankorva, 2009). international geological significance (today Geotourism comprises the geological there are four in the world) (UNESCO). heritage combined with the components of One of the tools of promotion of the tourism including attractions, border geological and mining sites is design accommodation, tours, activities, and development of the geological routes interpretation as well as planning and which significance has increased in recent management. There are five key principles years with the growth of interest to the which are fundamental to geotourism: nature based tourism. The opportunities of geologically based, sustainable, the including these sites into the tourist and geologically informative, locally beneficial recreational activity promote expansion of and tourist satisfaction (Dowling, 2010). regional tourism products and improve One of the important questions determined competitiveness of the destinations. The the geotourism development: who is a impact of different kinds of the cross-border

24 Acta Geoturistica volume 9 (2018), number 1, 23-29 tourist routes development on local , Karelian Regional economy and protection, conservation and State Museum, Ministry of Education of the promotion of natural, cultural and historical Republic of Karelia). Besides nine associate potential of territory has been investigated partners took part in the project activities particularly in European border regions, (Mining). including regions bordering (Kovács The route conects geological, mining and & Nagy, 2013; Kropinova & Anokhin, industrial heritage of the Finnish-Russian 2014). The circular route uniting Norway, borderland along the international tourist Finland and Russia (Kola Peninsula) that road “Blue road” from city of Petrozavodsk can be started from any point is a good (the Republic of Karelia, Russia) to city of example of presentation and promotion of Outokumpu (North Karelia, Finland) (Fig. geological potential of the northern 1.). Fennoscandia (Johansson et al., 2014). The Totally the cross-border route unites other example is design and development of about 20 main objects associated with the the cross-border tourist route “Mining road” industrial geological and mining history of in the Finnish-Russian borderland. the Finnish-Russian borderland (Table 1.). A pilot tour of the tourist company "Karelika" in August 2014 can be THE CROSS-BORDER GEOLOGICAL considered the opening of the cross-border ROUTE “MINING ROAD” tourist route "Mining road" for visitors. Under the project implementation were The cross-border tourist route “Mining reconstructed and the improved number of Road” (about 400 km.) was elaborated out facilities along the route new tourist within КА334 «Mining Road» project (total attractions based on the geological and budget about 800 thousand euro) funded by mining heritage of the territory were the Karelia ENPI CBC Programme. The created. project was developed during 2012-2014 The examples of a new impulse of the years in collaboration with Finish partners tourist attractions development are the (Geological Survey of Finland, Outokumpu “Mining Park Ruskeala” (the Republic of Mining Museum) and Russian partners Karelia) and the Outokumpu Mining (Institute of Geology of Karelian Research museum (the North Karelia). According to Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences historical aspects transformation of the old as a Leading Partner, Administration of Marble quarry to a new tourist attraction Pryazha National Municipal District of the Mining Park “Ruskeala” started in 1998.

Fig. 1 The cross-border tourist route “Mining Road” (compiled by the authors using Google Maps)

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Tab. 1 The main and extra geological, mining, and industrial objects of the cross-border tourist route “Mining Road” location objects the Russian part of the route – the Republic of Karelia  the Museum of Precambrian Geology of the Institute of Geology of Karelian Petrozavodsk Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences  the National Museum of the Republic of Karelia  the Mining Park “Tulmozere” Tulmozero  Kitelskoe field of garnets  Pitkyaranta's mines  Salmi Rapakivi granites  the Mining Park “Ruskeala”  the North Ladoga Republican Museum the Finnish part of the route – the North Karelia  Tohmajärvi Volcanic complex Tohmajärvi  the Outokumpu Mining museum Outokumpu  the Keretti old mine tower  the old asbestos and chroma-diopside quarries  the Möhkö Ironworks museum Möhkö  the Ptkeljärvi National Park  the Koli National Park  the Visitor Centre Ukko Koli – Juuka  the Finnish stone Center, Juuka  the Soapstone quarry, Juuka  the Geological Survey of Finland Kuopio  the Puijo tower

The expansion of the range of all-season mineral exhibition tunnel as well as a tourist services and the development of children mine and the playing space for modern tourist infrastructure as well as the children and teenagers in 2014 (Fig. 3.). inclusion the object to the cross-border Thus the growth of the number of visitors tourist route “Mining road” determined a to the Outokumpu Mining museum in 2014 rapid growth of visitor’s number to the increased by 2.2 times comparing to the mining Park “Ruskeala” during 2011-2016 previous year (more than by 6 times, Fig. 2). For example The significant practical result of the the largest growth in the number of Mining project “Mining road” implementation is Park ‘Ruskeala” visitors comparing to the the creation of a new tourist attraction previous year was in 2015 (91.3%). For the Mining Park “Tulmozere” on the place of first time in the Republic of Karelia the the mining plant ruins (XIX-XX centuries). number of visitors to the “Ruskeala” The area of modern Mining Park is 3 Mining Park (194.2 thousand people) hectares with an adjacent zone 8 hectares, exceeded the number of Kizhi visitors where a excursion and a recreational zones (168.3 thousand people) known as open-air have created within the project. Since the museum of wooden architecture in 2015. In opening of a new tourist attraction based on 2016 of the “Ruskeala” Mining Park mining industrial heritage the number of visitors exceeded the number of Kizhi visitors to the Mining Park “Tulmozere” is visitors by 1.74 times. slowly growing (Tab. 2). At present, the The amount of the Outokumpu Mining Mining Park “Tulmozere” is considered as museum visitors increased after its a perspective tourist attraction, the annual renovation (2010), the creation of a new number of visitors of which is expected to

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Fig. 2 The number of visitors of the Mining Park “Ruskeala”, people

Fig. 3 The number of visitors of the Outokumpu Mining Museum, people

Tab. 2 The number of visitors of the Mining Park “Tulmozere”

Year 2013 2014 2015 2016 the number of visitors of the Mining Park “Tulmozere”, people 1030 1580 2300 2380

be 20-30 thousand people. and it has been slightly increasing from Within the framework of the project, a year 2012 being in 2016  4200 peoples. series of GPS excursions (audio guides) and In the Koli National Park the number of 3D-panoramas were developed, which visits has been increasing yearly. In 2016 allows tourists to visit the sights of the the increase of the visitors flow to the Koli route without guide. Also guidelines for National Park grew 24 % (167 300 visits) guides about Mining Park “Tulmozere” in comparing the 2014. The reason for this has Russian and English have been developed been local events, good co-operation and (Mining). renewed exhibition in the information The positive influence of the project can center Ukko. The financial input to the local be noticed also in the Möhkö Ironworks economy was 17,7 mln. Euros in 2016 museum and in the Koli National park that (Metsähallitus). Besides the “Mining Road” can be proved by increasing of the visitor’s project has positive influence characterized numbers. Annually the average number of by transferring the knowledge about the visitors in Möhkö has been around 3600 site.

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DISCUSSION ON GEOLOGICAL geosites in the practices of the regional TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE tourism development can be offered: FINNISH-RUSSIAN BORDERLAND  compilation of geosites register that can be visited either individually or in Nowadays development of tourism groups, including the descriptions of the appears as an instrument for regional objects and the creation of the maps; development which can stimulate new  information support and the promotion economic activities. Considering high of the unique geological potential of symbolism of national borders for tourists' territories, including the development of interest the Finnish-Russian borderland has roadside signs, info boards, thematic an essential competitive advantage among guidebooks; other territories (Stepanova, 2017). The  placemaking of unique geosites and border geographic position largely surrounding areas available for different predetermines possibilities for transforming categories of tourists including children; the geological potential of the Finnish-  working out of new tourist routes and Russian borderland into a new tourist new products based on the geological attraction. potential; At the same time the opportunities of the  choosing geological sites with a tourist geological tourism development in the value and the development of the Finnish-Russian borderland are challenged strategy for the creating and the by territorial disparities in the tourism transforming these unique objects into a infrastructure availability, organizational new tourist attractions; and institutional problems.  etc. An important prerequisite for a full inclusion of the geological potential in regional tourism practices is awareness of CONCLUSIONS territorial unique potential, new tourist products development and wise marketing Design and development of geological policy. The creation of tourist attractions tourist routes play a significant role in the and destinations based on the geological popularization of the geological heritage potential and promotion of geological and in the geological tourism development. tourism requires joint efforts and The starting point for attracting tourist collaboration of authorities, business and flows based on the geological tourism is local communities (Dowling, 2013). recognition of the value of a geological and With the increasing role of information a mining sites, the interest for new technology in the modern life a crucial understanding of geology and of geological significance is paid at promotion of the history. tourist potential in Internet including design The significance of the cross-border route of the interactive tourist maps (Hurčíková "Mining Road" is determined by business & Molčíková, 2014.). An effective activity along the route, preservation, promotion of the geoheritage makes a popularization and reproduction of the process of choosing the destination by natural, cultural and historical potential of tourists more simple (Tamara & Milica, the borderland. 2016). A content quality about geoheritage along the cross-border geological routes creates conditions to choose these routes (or REFERENCES several geosites) by tourists according to their needs, opportunities and desires. Albă, C. (2016) Geomorphosites with touristic value The following measures for promoting in the central –southern part of the Parâng the inclusion of the geological potential and Mountains, Forum geographic, vol. 15, nr. 1, 109-115. DOI:10.5775/fg.2016.054.i.

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