PRINCIPAL FACTORS OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN THE KARACHAI-CHERKESS REPUBLIC

Abstract

The concepts of sustainable tourism, sustainable development of tourism and sustainability in tourism are discussed. The indicators of sustainable development of tourism in theKarachai-CherkessRepublicare suggested. The state of tourism in the context of actual requirements is analyzed. The study allowed concluding that the principal factors governing the location of recreation areas are the transportation network and the landscape features. Among the landscape features (natural conditions) relief, hydrographic network and vegetation cover are the most important. Different groups of recreants have specific principal factors of localization: availability of roads and sanatoria for those requiring treatment; a complex of landscape features for tourists; unique alpine relief of high aesthetic value for mountain-climbers; hotels and engineering facilities for alpine skiers. Localization factors for individuals going for short-term (1-2 days) recreation are transport accessibility, forests with berries and mushrooms and good river banks. The overexploitation of the natural complexes of theKarachai-CherkessRepublicfor tourism has formed the zones of conflict situations in the upper reaches of Teberda, Great Zelenchuk, Aksaut andKubanrivers. The sustainable development of tourism will contribute a lot to the progress of theKarachai-CherkessRepublic. It will help to increase the life standards of local people and the economic self-support of recreational areas, create new jobs, involve general public into decision-making, improve economic, social and legal bases for nature protection, and promote the environmental education and the general environmental culture of local people and visitors.