ABANDONED SETTLEMENTS AS PROSPECTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE TOURISM AND RECREATIONAL MARKET: A CASE STUDY OF THE REPUBLIC OF KARELIA

Abstract

This article emphasizes the relevance of exploring import substitution strategies in the Russian tourism and recreational market. Special attention is given to the need to satisfy the demand for unique travel experiences. As it is necessary to integrate unused territories into the economy, the article proposes to increase the involvement of abandoned settlements in the tourism and recreational sector. To identify the most promising villages, a goal was set to develop and test a scoring scale based on the system of indicators proposed by the authors. The Republic of Karelia was chosen as the research site. Criteria were identified to determine the attractiveness and feasibility of including abandoned settlements in tour itineraries. Based on these criteria, villages such as Keret, Loushki, Pulozero, Pegrema, Kashalilamba, Lagilamba, Kharitonova Gora, Gafostrof Rebolskoy, and Kolodozero were selected. Using the assessment system presented in the article, these villages were assigned points, and the integral indicator was calculated. The results show that Keret, Gafostrof Rebolskoy, Kashalilamba, Kakkarovo, and Pegrema are the most promising ones, which is confirmed by practice: Keret, Gafostrof Rebolskoy, and Pegrema have already been included in tour itineraries. Future research prospects involve improving the presented methodology, as it requires adaptation to factor in individual socio-economic and natural characteristics of other regions. It is also possible to expand the list of factors influencing the attractiveness of abandoned settlements. Theoretical developments in this direction can serve as a basis for the successful integration of abandoned villages in the tourism and recreational market in the Russian North.

Keywords

• republic of karelia
• tourism and recreational market
• abandoned settlements
• keret village
• scoring