Development of rural tourism in Novosibirsk Oblast
Rural tourism, based on the active participation of the maximum number of stakeholders and the principles of sustainable development, is now becoming wide spread. The pandemic has also made its “contribution” to the development of the industry, especially the restrictions associated with the spread of the coronavirus infection. The aim of the study is to analyze the state of rural tourism in Novosibirsk Oblast and identify prospects for its development. The object of the study is rural tourism in the region, considered as one of the system-forming factors of the territory’s development. The focus of the study is organizational and economic relations arising in the process of formation and development of rural tourism in the region. One of the promising regions in terms of rural tourism development is Novosibirsk Oblast, which has been among the TOP 20 most attractive regions of Russia for travel in recent years. The tourist and recreational complex of the rural areas of Novosibirsk Oblast is diverse and extensive. The authors consider the current state of rural tourism in Novosibirsk Oblast, present the most promising practices, describe the regional authorities’ role in the development of rural tourism. The problem of Novosibirsk Oblast is the fact that, currently, historical and archaeological monuments are dispersed throughout the region, have poor accessibility, and many are suitable only for intra-district local history purposes. To include such objects in tourist routes, an integrated approach is needed: the development of master plans for the development of settlements, the preparation of objects for tourists to visit, the improvement of their maintenance and repair, the construction of viewing platforms, the formation of new expositions in museums, the development of legends, guidebooks, etc. In the course of the study, the authors evaluated all districts of Novosibirsk Oblast for the possible development of agrotourism according to the selected criteria and proposed options for their development. Proceeding from this, the main objectives of the development of rural tourism in the region should include: creation of a tourist cluster; introduction of rural areas and their residents to the agrotourism industry; organization of relevant advertising; training of competent personnel to work in rural tourism; creation of an appropriate infrastructure and related services; development and sale of relevant souvenir products; ensuring transport accessibility. Thus, despite the shortcomings in the legal documents, the activities of rural tourism are already carried out in the format of small business in some areas of the region. This indicates both its demand among the population, since it is a new format of tourism, and the development of agriculture. Contribution of the authors: the authors contributed equally to this article. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.