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Arctic Yearbook 2014
Sortavala, Svetloe Lake & Ruskeala Marble Canyon
Leaving the Kolatselga village, we then headed to Sortavala to have lunch at Piypun piha
restaurant which is one of the major partners of the “Eco-efficient Tourism Project”. We ended
our field trip later that day very close to the Finnish border on the shores of Svetloe lake and the
popular tourist destination Ruskeala Marble Canyon where we got the opportunity to visit the
canyon grounds and lakeshore to see the new facilities that were introduced through the project.
Upon our arrival at Ruskeala, we immediately saw the new state of the art lavatories, tourist
information panels and a tourist information desk. The grounds also host a boutique and
restaurant, and tourists can also buy local art by vendors on site (before or after spending some
hours touring the marble grounds). Planners also integrated new camping sites on lake Svetloe
with new grill cabins close to the canyon. From our experience on site, we take back the
impression that the project has had a major impact on Ruskeala by transforming the marble
canyon into a very attractive and interactive tourist destination on the Russian-Finnish border. It
has also brought together partners to build a sustainable tourist attraction that could eventually
serve as a model for other potential sites along the border.
Discussing & Promoting (Regional) Arctic Cooperation in Russia