Tourist business on Valaam
The board of the State Karelian Committee on physical education, sport
and tourism together with the board of the Sortavala Administration prepared suggestions
for the Head of the Government of Karelia S.L.Katanandov on organization improvement
of tourist activities on the island of Valaam.
The suggested measures included the sale of pilgrim passes, and also
creation of the state or municipal tourist enterprise on Valaam.
Today only the monastery of Valaam and its Pilgrim Service
have the license, permitting international tourist activity.
But there are only 5-7% of pilgrims in the flood of tourists, though
everybody gets a pilgrim's pass without exception.
About 50-60 thousand tourists visit Valaam annualy. Half of them are foreigners.
The price for entering the island is 2 dollars for a foreigner and
1 dollar for a Russian. All received money are left on the island,
though it is against the Law of Karelia "About tourism"
The Pilgrim Service of the monastery doesn't let another tourist
firms work on the island, including republican firms. Furthermore two tourist
firms, working on Valaam since the early 90s ceased their activity under
its pressure.
Grounds for the Pilgrim Service's tourist business monopolization
on the archipelago are insufficiently considered documents giving
the Vallam monastery "primary rights" for tourist service on
"its" objects and contradicting the Order of the President "About parcel
cult buildings and other property to religious organizations" from 23rd of April,
1993.
In the near future the Administrations of Sortavala and Valaam are to
make an agreement with the Father Superior of the Valaam monastery on order
of tourist activity on the archipelago.
The Valaam monastery should be registered in the tax inspection
of Sortavala. It is also possible that the town administration will
adopt a resolution on increasing of the admission charge on the island.
Information of the Ministries RK
webmaster@gov.karelia.ru
Created: November 1998
Last updated: November 1998
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