16.09.2013
has been organised on September 12 till 16. During intensive workshops and sightseeing program its participants have discussed important issues on the tourism development in the region.
The conference agenda were dedicated to different aspects of ecotourism. Delegates from Moscow, Italy, USA, Korea and other regions have shares their experience in ecological tours organization.
One of the conference aims was to discuss the tourist attractiveness of the Far East (and Kamchatka) regions. Deputy head of the tourism departement of Russian Culture Ministery, Elmira Khaimurzina, especially underlined in her speach that the conference program is focused on professional discussion of ecotourism problems and perspectives.
Dmitry Medvedev's video welcome speech was translated on the grand opening of the forum. He announced that strictly preserved territories are the gold resources of the country. According to his information 11 reserves and 18 national parks are to be established till 2020. He also mentioned, that previously the governement didn't consider the tourism development as one of priorities but this situation is changing and joint activity of the ecologists and governement should make the preserved areas acessible for the tourists.
"Ecology and tourism: interaction and cooperation" section was conducted in a tourist camp under Avacha volcanoo. So that the participants could see some of the 
threats to the nature and ecosystems from the tourism development in Kamchatka. The delegates visited "The volcanoes of Kamchatka" nature park visit center and climbed up the Camel exstrusion.
Despite the evident economical benefits from ecotoursim, the director of National Korean tourism organisation Pak Khen Bon said in his speech that nature conservation is more important than tourism development, especially when we talk about unique nature complexes. It is difficult to argue.
During the excursions the to Kurilskoe lake te delegates were lucky to observe 7 bears hunting for a fish. Accommodtions were overviewed by the participants who were placed in a different hotels of the Paratunka area near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
Ethnography were represented by the dance group "Mengo" and national itelmen celebration "Älkhlalai". Within the celebration the guests were lucky to participate in a traditional wedding ceremony of the itelmes.
The resolution of the forum is preparing for the publication. As soon as it is sighned we'll publish it on our pages.
As a result of the perticipation in the forum we hope to offer a new program to Kamchatka for our clients inthe 2014 summer season.
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