Kostomuksha at a tourist crossroads: expert perspectives from an Arctic border city

Abstract

The study examines the challenges and prospects of tourism development in the Arctic city of Kostomuksha, located in the Karelian — Finnish borderland. Founded in the late 20th century as a model of Russian — Finnish cooperation, Kostomuksha is now seeking new development paths in the 21st century, following the cessation of cross-border mobility and cooperation. Given the depletion of natural resources, the municipality faces acute pressure to identify al­ternative development strategies, including a reorientation of its tourism sector. This study aims to identify promising directions for tourism development in Kostomuksha under the new conditions, drawing on data from a sociological survey of the expert community. The ana­lysis is based on materials collected through a focus group and a series of semi-structured interviews conducted by the author in May 2024 with senior officials and key specialists from state, commercial, and non-profit organisations involved in the district’s tourism sector. The findings highlight the main constraints on tourism development in the Kostomuksha urban dis­trict: economic limitations, infrastructural deficiencies, shortage of qualified personnel, weak marketing, environmental restrictions, and the pronounced seasonality of the tourism industry. Despite these challenges, nature-based tourism is identified as the priority direction, encom­passing not only ecological but also active, cultural-educational, and event-related forms of tourism. The inclusion of Kostomuksha in the Arctic zone is viewed as an important factor in adjusting the municipality’s strategic priorities. Considering its geographic location, the avai­lability of sports and tourism infrastructure for winter activities, and the successful experience of organising large-scale events, winter tourism appears to be one of the most promising areas for further development. The study also underscores the necessity of cooperation among go­vernment, business, and civil society in shaping sustainable tourism in the urban district.