Nature tourism plan for North Karelia Biosphere Reserve now available in English and Finnish!
North Karelia Biosphere Reserve Nature Tourism Plan realized under CBC SUPER project is now available in Finnish and English languages. It focuses on the significance of Biosphere Reserve’s protected areas in nature tourism development.
One of the goals of the nature tourism plan is to act as a guide for responsible and sustainable tourism development in protected areas. The Biosphere Reserve nature tourism plan is drafted consistent with guidelines for nature tourism in conservation and Hiking Areas, with sought ways to promote sustainable nature tourism. The plan has been prepared by Metsähallitus nature services in cooperation with tourism actors of the region.
Currently, the key challenges for the biosphere reserve nature tourism are the inadequacy of year-round range of services, parking space at Koli National Park, poor accessibility to and across nature tourism attraction sites, the current state of infrastructure, and networking between actors, especially on communication.
The aims are among other, to increase the awareness of all Biosphere Reserve’s attraction sites, improve visitor guidance and communication, improve networking among key actors, improve visibility of service providers, and updating and strategizing infrastructure such that they help limit potential visitor pressures. For example, increasing the interest of visitors for the diverse nature tourism opportunities in the entire region by directing visitors to all National Parks and Hiking Area of the Biosphere Reserve.
Biosphere Reserve Travel Plan (FIN): https://julkaisut.metsa.fi/assets/pdf/lp/Csarja/c166.pdf
Biosphere Reserve Travel Plan (ENG): https://www.doria.fi/handle/10024/180197