Social tourism as a strategic direction for the development of domestic tourism and an instrument of state social policy

The article provides socio-economic characteristics of social tourism, considers the world practice of the organizational and institutional mechanism for the implementation of a socially significant direction of tourism, proves the strategic feasibility of implementing the social tourism model as an instrument of the state’s social policy that contributes to the growth of the welfare of society and the quality of life of the state’s population, and also analyzes the regulatory framework of social tourism in the Russian Federation. The absence of systemic approach to the development of the direction is revealed, which is due, among other things, to the absence of a separate legislative act regulating relations of the parties to social tourism, as well as the absence of significant government measures to stimulate tourism market players to implement socially oriented projects. Domestic and international experience in implementing social tourism projects is given in the article.