Home – Home – Jornals – Geography and Natural Resources 2021 number 3

This article examines the socio-economic causes and consequences of a high load on tourist destinations (overtourism) in the Baikal Natural Territory (BNT). An economic analysis is made of the existing tourist flows, and the areas of conflict of the interests of tourist business, the local population, authorities of different levels and investors have been identified. This study summarizes the results of field investigations made in a number of districts of Buryatia in order to develop the strategy of sustainable ecologically balanced development of the territory. The technique of informal interviews was used to identify and compare the opinions of different categories of persons concerned as regards the reasons behind the conflict of the interests in BNT and the methods of settling them. Estimates of the economic benefits from the flow of unorganized tourists in the Baikal region of Buryatia by the method of travel costs have been obtained. It is shown that the policy of restriction on economic activities in BNT and reliance on mass tourism stifles the possibility for full-fledged communication with wildlife and for an educational and active recreation provided that the recreational load on the territory is observed. In addition, super-tourism territories become vulnerable to any emergencies (such as epidemics).