Tourist Potential as a Factor of Rural Territories Development: Experience of the Russian Federation Regions (doi: 10.14706/icesos1718)

Abstract: World experience shows that in Russia and other countries, the development of rural tourism can be a very effective activity aimed at environmental, economic, and social development. Today, about 20000 villages in Russia are on the verge of extinction. Consequently, rural tourism can and should become the very “locomotive” that will really pull out and revive the rural areas of Russia. The development of rural tourism is named among the priority area provided for in the “Concept of Sustainable Development of Rural Territories of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2020”, approved by Order of the Government of Russia in 2010. Expert assessments based on studies conducted in the regions of the Russian Federation show that the approximate level of income from rural tourism activity per administrative region of the constituent entity of Russia may be about 30 million rubles (500 thousand US dollars) per year. In the case of the implementation of an integrated approach involving the joint development of agricultural activities and rural tourism, the effect can double – up to 50-60 billion rubles per year. Rural tourism in Russia is a new socio-economic phenomenon oriented to the use of natural, cultural, historical resources of rural areas to create and supply a tourist product to a wide range of people. In this regard, it should be thought that the strategic priorities of the national policy aimed at stimulating tourism in rural areas should be the concentration of tourist resources and creation of destinations that include backbone tourist centers with high potential for the formation of rural tours, and territories adjacent to the borders. At the same time, the activation of rural tourism will allow developing territories that do not have promising industrial and agricultural organizations, and thereby improve the socioeconomic situation of the country as a whole. Keywords: rural territories, development, tourism, Russian Federatio