Inclusive technologies in ecotourism: The case of Caucasian Biosphere Reserve

Abstract

The article reveals the issues and development prospects for ecological tourism, one of the important directions of tourism development in natural protected areas. Ecotourism is an impetus for economic growth in the region and has great socio-cultural significance. Ecotourism has a great development potential for the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve. Ecotourism allows tourists to join nature and get a memorable opportunity to interact with unique natural objects. The experience of developing accessible infrastructure in reserves around the world shows that this area is in demand. Creating an accessible environment on the territory of the Caucasian Reserve will involve more tourists. It will attract additional investments in the development and preservation of the reserve. It will also perform cognitive, socializing and rehabilitation functions for tourists with health problems. Currently, several projects for the development of mass ecological tourism have already been implemented on the territory of the Caucasian Reserve. Equipped routes today have a length of 450 km. Thanks to the vast favorable natural territories and the efforts made, the possibility of developing inclusive tourism in the Caucasian State Biosphere Reserve is revealed. Recently, we can see the growth rates of the formation of an accessible environment in the territories of the natural protected areas of the reserve. Namely, the creation of routes accessible to all categories of tourists. The Caucasian Nature Reserve is one of the examples of the development of inclusive ecotourism on the territory of the Russian Federation.