The Republic of Mari El is a hospitable region of tourism. Prospects for the development of tourism in the Republic of Mari El by type and territory Tourism in Mari El
The Committee of the Republic of Mari El on Tourism from September 29 to October 16, 2017 is holding a wide public discussion of the developed draft Strategy for Tourism Development in the Republic of Mari El. http://mari-el.gov.ru/komtur/Pages/iam.aspx. Let's try to delve into the text of this document (through the eyes of the average person), the creation of which was worked on by people specially trained for this purpose. It describes the objective status of the industry, possible growth points, and risks.
For several years now we have been hearing about the development of the tourism industry in the Republic of Mari El. The media are reporting an increase in tourist flows. Maybe.
The Development Strategy notes that “according to Maristat, the number of tour packages sold travel companies region in 2015 is 12,197 units.” It is not clear whether this is a lot or a little.
In the Republic of Mari El there is one hotel with a star category.
In Gornomariysky, Mari-Tureksky, Sovetsky districts there are no accommodation facilities suitable for receiving tourists. Municipal target programs, including the “Tourism” subprogram, operate in 7 municipalities of the Mari El Republic - in Zvenigovsky, Kilemarsky, Mari-Tureksky, Morkinsky, Novotoryalsky, Orsha and Paranginsky districts. In most cases, funding for the Tourism subprogram is not provided. In other municipal and urban districts, targeted programs and subprograms for tourism development have not been developed or completed due to the expiration of the implementation period.
The share of foreign guests arriving annually in the Republic of Mari El is 2% of the total tourist flow. The number of accredited guides is 56 people and only one with knowledge Italian language, although there were guests from Germany, India, USA, France, Israel, Great Britain, Estonia. (It is not clear why there were no guests from Finland and Hungary). The number of people employed in tourism organizations reaches more than 1,500 people.
If we consider the development of tourism from the point of view of mercantile interest, then this industry should generate a certain income. Yes, that’s right, it is true, there has been an increase in tax revenues from the tourism sector to budgets of all levels (from 4847.0 thousand rubles in 2011 to 11,136.0 thousand rubles in 2016). But, reading the next paragraph, you do not understand the meaning of this activity.
As part of the implementation of the state program of the Republic of Mari El “Tourism Development in the Republic of Mari El for 2014 – 2020”, in the period from 2018 to 2020, funding from the republican budget of 39.7 million rubles and the federal budget is planned - 4 million rubles. According to the forecast of socio-economic development of the Republic of Mari El for the period until 2025, for successful growth it is necessary to attract at least 120 billion rubles of investment in fixed capital.
This document notes that “The total length highways public use is 8,360.9 km,” but if we look at Maristat data, then according to their data as of January 1, 2016, this figure is 9,484.8 km. This inaccuracy “walks” throughout all documents, depending on the goals and objectives. Due to the fact that the Vyatka highway passes through the territory of the Republic of Mari El, it would be worth paying attention to the development of road service facilities.
In addition, I would like to add that people increasingly prefer individual tourism to mass tourism, and spontaneous vacations to clearly planned ones; An abundance of Internet services and applications for selecting transfers, accommodation, planning leisure activities (without commissions and with 24/7 access) allow users to organize their vacation directly, without intermediaries.
Having studied this document, we can state that the industry needs to be developed, but without fanaticism. For the successful development of any activity, marketing research is carried out; without market measurements, no entrepreneur will invest his funds, i.e. first the market is researched and then the project is implemented. Why holding marketing research in the tourism sector are planned in the Strategy calendar for 2018 - 2020?
The Republic of Mari El is located in the east of the East European Plain in the middle part of the Volga River basin. From the north, northeast and east, our republic borders on the Kirov region. From the southeast and south with the Republics of Tatarstan and Chuvashia, and in the west and northwest - with Nizhny Novgorod region. The length of its borders exceeds 1200 km, and the total area is 23.3 thousand km2.
The Volga, the longest and most abundant river in Europe, flows through our Republic for 155 kilometers. On its banks the museums of Kozmodemyansk and the Sheremetev Castle in the village of Yurino hospitably opened their doors.
Numerous mineral springs, significant outlets of which are located in the valleys of the Ilet and Yushut rivers, are used for medicinal purposes in sanatoriums, rest homes and hospitals.
Lakes are the national treasure of our region. Sinkholes, inter-dunes, floodplains, they invariably attract with summer coolness and clean, refreshing water. Provalnye are located mainly on the southern, southwestern slopes of the Mari-Vyatsky ridge. Most of them are located in the lower reaches of the Ilet River - Lake. Yalchik, Deaf, Bottomless, Kichier.
The largest group of such lakes is located on the edge of the northern ledge of the Sotnur Upland, where 11 lakes are located in a chain, among them the Sea Eye with a depth of 35 m, and 6 lakes at the foot of the Kerebelyak Upland.
The deepest karst lake in the Republic of Mari El is Zryv. Its depth reaches 56 meters. Most sinkhole lakes located in forested areas are very picturesque. On their banks there are tourist stops, sports and recreational camps, holiday homes and sanatoriums.
Located on Maple Mountain, the Mari Chodra National Park is an interesting natural-territorial complex. The Maple Mountain sanatorium was built on its territory; there are such popular tourist places as the Green Key spring, lakes Yalchik, Mashinier, Glukhoe, Konanyer, and the rivers Ilet, Yushut, and Petyalka flow through. The oldest specimen of oak, called Pugachevsky, has been preserved here. According to legend, under the shade of this oak tree E. I. Pugachev stopped for the night with his detachment. The oak differs sharply in its size among the forest stand. This is a gigantic tree with a powerful trunk, the diameter of which is 159 cm, which is part of the upper tier. Already taken separately, the Pugachevsky oak is a valuable natural monument.
A developed transport network, represented by all types of transport, is available to tourists. This is also a river one - along the Volga and Vetluga rivers with piers in the city of Zvenigovo, Volzhsk, Kozmodemyansk, village. Yurino, village Kokshaysk. The Yoshkar-Ola airport is connected by flights to the airports of Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov. There are railway connections to Moscow, Kazan, Yaransk. Highways are laid to the cities of Cheboksary and Kazan.
There are five recreational zones for sports, health and educational tourism on the territory of the republic. Tours with active recreation are organized. These are water routes along the Malaya and Bolshaya Kokshaga, Bolshoy Kundysh, Ilet, Nemda, Volga rivers; on foot and horseback - in the southwestern, southern and northeastern parts of the Republic; cycling and skiing throughout the region.
Pilgrimage excursions to holy places (monasteries, temples, holy springs) and religious groves are steadily popular. Rich and varied national culture Mari region. Cultural and economic ties with the Finno-Ugric peoples are traditionally developing. Hungary, Finland, and the Baltic countries are long-standing and stable partners of the Mari El Republic.
To determine the direction of efforts to develop internal
and incoming tourism in the Republic of Mari El, it is necessary to consider the recreational opportunities of the republic and the problems impeding the development of tourism.
The Republic of Mari El is located in the European part of Russia, in the east of the East European Plain, in the middle part of the basin
r. Volga. This is one of the small Russian regions: the greatest length of the territory from west to east is 287 km,
from north to south - 150 km, the area of the territory is 23,400 km 2. The population is about 700 thousand people.
The republic borders on the north, northeast and east
with the Kirov region, from the southeast and south - with the Republic of Tatarstan
and the Chuvash Republic, in the west and north-west - with the Nizhny Novgorod region.
The longest and most abundant river in Europe, the Volga, flows through our republic for 155 km. On its banks are the Gornomariysky district with its center in the city of Kozmodemyansk, the Yurinsky district, and part of the territories of the Volzhsky and Zvenigovsky districts. Second
The largest river in the Republic of Mari El is the Vetluga. Both rivers are navigable.
The hydrographic network of the republic consists of 476 large
and small rivers (including the Volga and Vetluga rivers), about 700 lakes with a total area of 2,752 hectares, which are the pride of the region. In the valleys of the Ilet rivers
and Yushut concentrated a large number mineral springs, used for medicinal purposes in sanatoriums, rest homes
and hospitals.
Failure-type lakes are located mainly in the southern,
southwestern slopes of Vyatsky Uval. In the lower reaches of the river. Ilet located large lakes: Yalchik, Gluhoye, Bottomless and Kichier.
On the edge of the northern ledge of the Sotnur Upland there are 11 lakes in a chain, including Morskoy Glaz (Volzhsky district),
at the foot of the Kerebelyak Upland there are 6 lakes.
The territory of the Republic of Mari El is densely covered with forests. Total area forests in the republic amount to 1,415.5 thousand hectares. Part of the forest area is located on the territory national park“Mari Chodra” (36.9 thousand hectares) is a specially protected natural area of federal significance. By the richness of flora national park“Mari Chodra” is the most unique corner of the republic. Representatives of the Siberian and European taiga and forest-steppe meet here. The second specially protected natural area of federal significance, located on the territory of the Republic of Mari El, is the Bolshaya Kokshaga Nature Reserve.
In addition to specially protected natural areas of federal significance, there are 9 reserves on the territory of the republic that are classified as specially protected natural areas of republican significance, and 47 natural monuments.
The Republic of Mari El, according to the Independent Environmental Rating Agency (NERA), ranks third in the ranking of Russian regions in terms of the preservation of natural ecosystems, behind the Kostroma and Kirov regions. At the same time, the Republic of Mari El in this rating is in first place in terms of changes in the potential for ecosystem sustainability according to data for 2007 - 2008.
The main religions on the territory of the Republic of Mari El are Orthodoxy and Islam, as well as paganism. According to the results of a sociological study conducted by the sociology department of MarNIYALI in 2004, 51.1 percent of respondents adhere to Orthodoxy, 15.4 percent - the Mari traditional religion, 6.5 percent - Islam, 0.5 percent - another religion, 5 percent believe in " their God,” 21.5 percent are non-believers.
The Republic of Mari El is on at the moment the largest center for the spread of paganism in Europe and the only large center in terms of the number of believers. According to tradition, pagan prayers are held in sacred groves, which symbolizes harmony between man and natural forces. Sacred Mari groves, or “prayer sites”, are located in the most picturesque places, traditionally in birch and aspen forests, they are separate tracts and are concentrated mainly in the elevated part of the Vyatsky Uval. This is not only a place of religious rites, but also ethnographic, cultural and historical heritage Mari people
Based on available natural resources, and also due to its geographical location and development, the Republic of Mari El is one of the ecologically safe territories of the European part of Russia with well-preserved nature and traditional culture local population. Thanks to this, the republic has great prospects for the development of ethnographic, rural, environmental, health resort and recreational tourism.
Cruise tourism on the river is also a promising type. Volga, business and sports tourism in Yoshkar-Ola, which is associated with the emergence of modern high-class sports infrastructure in the city in recent years.
The development of ethnographic tourism is possible in most of the territory of the republic. This is favored by the mixed living of Mari, Russians, Tatars and other peoples. It is promising to organize tours that allow you to compare the life, culture, traditional architecture and customs of these peoples. By agreement
with local religious communities it is possible to attend pagan Mari religious ceremonies held in sacred groves in the northeast of the republic. Of interest are the preserved
in a number of places, the traditional occupations of the population are wicker weaving, production of bast and products made from it, weaving, national embroidery and others.
Currently, the ethnography of the Mari people is represented by
mainly museums - State Cultural Institutions " National Museum Republic
Mari El named after. T. Evseeva" in Yoshkar-Ola, ethnographic museum
under open air in Kozmodemyansk and others.
This Program provides for the implementation of a number of projects that provide an opportunity to get acquainted with the culture of the Mari people more fully through “immersion” in life and interactive programs.
Rural tourism in its modern sense is a complex product that includes various areas of tourism with accommodation along routes in modern complexes and guest houses in rural areas. This type of tourism has great prospects for development in 2011 - 2016 in the Republic of Mari El, since at the initial stage it requires relatively low costs, has a shorter payback period compared to other types of tourism, while using the potential of the region and has significant social significance. Development rural tourism can partially solve the problem of employment in rural areas and stimulate the development of tourism-related industries - such as the production of souvenirs, picking berries and mushrooms for subsequent sale to tourists, and solve the issue of marketing part of agricultural products. Rural tourism can be one of the domestic sources of investment for the development of agricultural production.
This Program sets the task of creating a rural tourism cluster that combines agro-, recreational, active, and ethnographic tourism. All objects comply with the principles of multifunctionality and are aimed at year-round use.
Prerequisites for the development of rural tourism in the Republic
Mari El:
location in the center of Russia and transport accessibility- railway and air connections with Moscow, availability minibus taxis, buses and trains Kazan - Yoshkar-Ola (average travel time - 2 hours), availability of minibuses, bus routes Cheboksary - Yoshkar-Ola, Nizhny Novgorod- Yoshkar-Ola, Kirov - Yoshkar-Ola;
the remoteness of some objects of interest for tourism from urban centers, which makes it difficult to visit them when living in the city and makes it more convenient and economical to stay in tourist complexes in rural areas located along tourist routes compiled taking into account the attractions of the region;
novelty of the offer and the possibility of combination various types rest.
The most promising areas for inclusion in the route network at the initial stage of development of rural tourism are Kuzhenersky, Morkinsky, Paranginsky, Kilemarsky,
Mari-Tureksky, Gornomariysky, Novotoryalsky and Sernursky.
Ecological tourism is one of the promising types of tourism on the territory of the Republic of Mari El. The growing popularity of eco-tourism and the government's Russian Federation measures to stimulate the development of this type of tourism allow us to hope for the use of the ecological potential of the republic to attract environmentally oriented tourists from the regions of Russia and foreign countries.
Attractive for the development of ecological tourism in the republic are the Vyatsky Uval hills in the territories of the Kuzhenersky, Morkinsky and Volzhsky districts with natural monuments located within its boundaries: “Mountain Zadelye” with preserved ancient mine workings, “ Stone Mountain"with low-mountain landscapes, "Karman-Kuryk" and adjacent territories, the Mari Chodra National Park, the Bolshaya Kokshaga Nature Reserve. The Shurginskaya and Chukshinskaya uplands are of interest
with picturesque surroundings, numerous groups of karst lakes, the Ilet and Irovka rivers. The right bank part - Gornomariysky district and the city of Kozmodemyansk - is rich in archaeological, historical and cultural monuments.
Health tourism is socially significant and traditional popular view tourism for the Russian Federation. The Volga region is recognized as one of the promising regions for the development of this type of tourism.
The Republic of Mari El has long-standing traditions
spa treatment. For the construction of sanatoriums, the most scenic spots mainly in close proximity to water bodies. The advantage is that many sanatoriums have natural mud, mineral waters. Currently, the material base of the republic's sanatoriums is quite worn out, and modern tourist requirements dictate the need to develop a spectrum of additional services entertaining and cultural-educational nature. This Program proposes, as primary measures for the development of health tourism, support for the existing sanatorium and resort base of the republic and the development of existing
in the republic of recreational areas. Promising districts are Volzhsky, Zvenigovsky, Medvedevsky and a number of other districts. The least expensive and promising path at the initial
stage - creation of conditions for the development of related infrastructure in the locations of sanatorium and resort institutions
and other types of tourism: opening tour bureaus, cafes
and restaurants, sports equipment rental points for active recreation, development route network and ecological trails. It is necessary for the state to participate in updating the material base of the most popular and promising sanatorium and resort institutions in the republic.
Recreational (beach) tourism is a traditionally popular type of recreation in the summer. The most attractive areas for the development of this type of tourism are Zvenigovsky district
with a tourist and recreational area in the village. Kokshaysk, lakes of the Mari lowland - Shap, Tair, Karas and others, part of the territory of the Mari Chodra National Park with developed infrastructure,
especially the area of lakes Yalchik, Glukhoe, also Volzhsky, Yurinsky, Gornomariysky, Kilemarsky and a number of other areas. A limiting factor for the development of this type of tourism is the short beach season and the associated uneven occupancy of accommodation facilities specializing in recreational tourism. This problem can be partially solved by expanding the range of services and using accommodation facilities in the autumn-winter period for active, business
and other types of tourism.
Cruise tourism is promising in the Republic of Mari El. The river flows through the territory of 4 regions of the republic. Volga, however, only the city of Kozmodemyansk is currently involved in cruise programs, the flow of tourists to which has decreased in recent years due to numerous fires and loss historical monuments in the historical part of the city. Promising areas of the village remain not covered by cruise tourism. Yurino
with the unique Sheremetev castle, Zvenigovo with the museum of the history of the shipping company, celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2011, Volzhsk, village. Kokshaysk, Zvenigovsky district, which is the closest locality on the river Volga to the capital of the Republic of Mari El - Yoshkar-Ola and a developed recreational area of the republic. The development of cruise tourism and the involvement of new territories in cruise programs requires large financial investments for dredging, installation of landing stages and piers, as well as the participation of municipal administrations and entrepreneurs in the creation of tourism infrastructure and preparation excursion programs in promising areas. If these problems are solved, cruise tourism is the most promising option for including the republic’s tourism resources in interregional programs within the framework of the signed Agreement on the “Big Volga” project.
Sports tourism is one of the new promising areas of tourism development for the republic. In 2004 - 2010
In Yoshkar-Ola, modern sports facilities were put into operation, making it possible to hold championships and competitions at the All-Russian and international level:
sports and recreation complex "Spartak", Ice Palace"Mari El" and the Ice Palace of the "Druzhba" stadium, Palace aquatic species sports, Water Palace "Yoshkar-Ola", reconstructed central stadium"Friendship". It is planned to build new sports facilities of international level.
Development of cultural and educational tourism in the Republic
Mari El does not have great prospects as a separate type of tourism. This is connected with the history of the region and with the deep geographical location republics away from main lines economic life in the past, according to the absence in the territory
V large quantities significant historical and cultural monuments
and architecture of federal significance. Development of this type of tourism
in the republic should be considered as an integral part of other types of tourism or as an integral part of unifying interregional tourism products that involve a short-term stay on the territory of the republic
for cultural and educational purposes.
Thus, on the territory of the Republic of Mari El there are prerequisites for the successful development of several types of tourism.
According to the estimates of specialists from the Department of Investments and Prospective Development of the Vladinvesttur group of companies, given in 2007, the profitable geographical location Republic of Mari El, historical, architectural and ethnographic heritage, wealth of environmental resources, availability of labor resources, subject to the implementation of administrative resources, will allow in the next 5 years to position the republican tourism product among the top ten regional leaders of the national tourism product of Russia.
