Leavenworth-Yelizovsky Municipal District

Leavenworth is a city in Washington State with a population of 2, 074 (2000). The city’s economy struggled until 1962, when the Leavenworth community decided to transform the city into a mock Bavarian village to revitalize its economy. Today Leavenworth is well known for its festivals in the Bavarian theme and great recreation opportunities and outdoor activities. With more than two million visitors each year, Leavenworth has become one of the top destinations for visitors to the Pacific Northwest. To learn more about the city, click here.

Yelizovsky Municipal District is located in the southeastern part of the Kamchatka Peninsula. It has a population of 65,746 (2007) people, including 39,600 (2008) people who reside in the city of Yelizovo, the administrative center of Yelizovsky Municipal District. The unique natural resources of Yelizovsky Municipal District have transformed this area into a tourist destination. Pristine areas, wildlife, geysers, volcanoes, glaciers, hot springs, and mineral waters provide a unique opportunity and great potential for tourism development. Yelizovsky Municipal District is an area of growing interest among adventure, sport, and eco-tourists from across the globe. For more information about Yelizovsky Municipal District, please click here.

Delegation Exchange: September 20-29, 2009

From September 20-29, 2008 the delegates from Yelizovsky Municipal District, represented by local government and a private tourism enterprise visited their partner city of Leavenworth. Given Yelizovsky Municipal District’s potential for tourism development, the delegates came to Leavenworth to learn about tourism, recreation, as well as effective governance practices. The delegates visited Sleeping Lady Mountain Retreat to learn about ecotourism and environmentally-conscious business models. They also met with the Leavenworth Area Promotions Committee, Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce, Port of Chelan County, Group VIA 97, Stemilt Fruit Growers, and Liberty Orchards Factory to learn first-hand how Leavenworth promotes tourism and generates tourism revenue. The delegates had a unique opportunity to work closely with Leavenworth Mayor Rob Eaton and his staff to learn about the city’s efforts to support local communities and engage citizens in local governance.

Partnership Project: Promoting Tourism Opportunities in Yelizovsky Municipal District
Project Start and End Dates: August 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010

Yelizovsky Municipal District and Leavenworth together with the Noncommercial Partnership “Council of Enterprises and Entrepreneurs of Yelizovsky Municipal District” launched a joint partnership project aimed at promoting tourism opportunities in Yelizovsky Municipal District. The Russian partners will establish a public-private partnership based on the example of cooperation between the City of Leavenworth and Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce and invite local organizations to promote tourism development. They also plan to create and distribute informational resources and promotional materials on tourism opportunities in Yelizovsky Municipal District, based upon consultation provided by the US side, in an effort to attract Russian and foreign tourists. This includes creation of a website and publication of brochures and booklets.

Yelizovsky delegates with Leavenworth Mayor Rob Eaton

(second from the left)