Prospects for the development of rural green, ecological and ethnographic tourism in the Crimea

This article focuses on rural green tourism, which is widely regarded as the most promising form of tourism in the twenty-first century. Among the common species in the hospitality industry more and more popular are the “green travel” and the rest in rural areas. No exception to this is the Crimea, where tourism is the main industry for budgets. Tourism in Crimea affects the structure of employment and self-employment, contributes to the consolidation and enrichment of all ethnic communities, to the formation of a tolerant attitude of some ethnic groups to the other, the development of moral qualities, to raising the cultural level of the people. The development of rural (agricultural) green, ecological and ethnographic tourism in the Crimea allows, as it seems, to solve many of the problems associated with the territorial organization of recreational facilities. Hopefully, that this issue will finally be moved from the dead point in connection with the reunification of the Crimea with Russia. Unfortunately, the state authorities within twenty-five years have paid little attention to the development of tourism in the Crimea. The villages once thriving have been decaying. In this regard, 90% of the recreational and wellness enterprises were concentrated in the coastal part, many of them have been privatized, others every year got out of the industry as they were not cost-effective. Deep mining and coastal, foothill, or steppe areas of the Crimea, despite the presence of a large number of natural, historical, cultural, archaeological, ethnographic resources have been not in demand. Attempts should be made to attract the attention of the authorities to the problem of development of rural green tourism villages. However, apart from declaring problems Ukrainian authorities were not solving them. Hopefully, this brief analysis of the problems will help the new leadership of the Republic of Crimea to revive many of the tourist resources and to develop new types of tourism in rural areas. Ecological and cultural value of rural green tourism, its alternative value should be a reliable impetus to the revival of the Crimean villages on the basis of careful attitude to the distinctive culture of the various ethnic groups inhabiting the Crimea and, above all, their historical heritage.