Limits of Sustainable Tourism Development in Russia

The relevance of this study lies in the fact that tourism in Russia is one of the most dynamically developing sectors of the economy. However, the development of mass tourism entails a number of threats to territorial development, including negative impacts on the environment and ecological systems; increased social tension and conflicts between tourists and local communities; and deterioration in the quality of life and well-being of the local population. Therefore, it is essential to promote a sustainable tourism development model: the “rules of the game” must be defined, and appropriate guidelines, directives, development and promotion strategies must be developed. These guidelines facilitate collective and individual decisions regarding tourism activity and influence not only the short-term but also the long-term development of tourism, as well as social and environmental impacts. The aim of this study is to identify the factors limiting the development of sustainable tourism in Russia and to develop measures aimed at minimizing the impact of these factors. To achieve this aim, the following objectives were formulated and consistently addressed: the essential characteristics of the sustainable tourism concept were clarified, key principles of sustainable tourism were identified and summarized, and the mechanism of its influence on territorial development was revealed; the factors hindering the transformation of mass tourism practices towards sustainable models in Russia were identified, analyzed, and classified; recommendations aimed at overcoming the identified limitations and stimulating the development of sustainable tourism at the national and regional levels were developed and substantiated. To ensure a full-scale transition from mass tourism to sustainable tourism, it is necessary to update the legislative framework, which will determine the vector of movement for each participant in the tourism sector towards sustainable development. It is necessary to more clearly define the concept of sustainable tourism at the legislative level and formulate its main principles, as well as more clearly formulate national sustainable tourism standards for destinations, accommodation facilities, travel agencies, and other participants in the tourism market.

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