Ecotourism Development in Russia: Analysis of Best Regional Practices

The article focuses on the study of the aspects of ecotourism development in the regions of Russia, which have a significant natural tourist potential. Based on the best practice of ecotourism identified by the Russian Ministry of Culture, the authors of the study have shown that the availability of tourist resources in a region does not imply a high level of effective tourist activity. The methodology of the study included a scientific and practical grouping of ecotourism sites and the development of an algorithm to evaluate regional practices. The expert assessment was based on general and internal criteria, allowing the identification of the best ecotourism destinations, the compilation of best practices, and the creation of a system of flaws in environmental programs. The findings of the study showed that a greater number of best ecotourism practices were identified in the regions, having a modern tourist infrastructure and apply a systematic approach to ecotourism development. According to the authors, the use of the selective approach does not only make it possible to diagnose the state of ecotourism development in the regions of the Russian Federation, but also to develop new methods of promoting the most successful ecotourism practices.