Rural and agritourism development in Russia: Results and tasks

Abstract

Rural and agritourism is a new phenomenon in the Russian countryside. The first rural tourism initiatives took place more than two decades ago. Rural tourism contributes to the preservation of the rural way of life in Russia, to the revival of traditions and customs, to the increase of the cultural and social attractiveness of life in rural areas, as well as to the level of income of the rural population through the creation of additional jobs and the development of rural infrastructure. The period of the coronavirus pandemic has shown that this type of tourism is viable because of its small scale, its location outside cities, healthy food, and other specific features. Involving the local population in the reception of tourists develops the rural community and arouses interest in the protection and conservation of nature. Our paper describes the first two decades of rural and agritourism development and reflects on the policy support and governmental and regional policies that have been enacted in the last 5-6 years to accelerate this form of rural entrepreneurship and community involvement. We also look at the institutional background that underpins the development of rural and agritourism.