Development trends of recreational tourism in rural areas

The article substantiates the reasons for the development of recreational tourism in rural areas based on analysis of the concepts and functions of recreation. The article reveals the biomedical and educational functions of recreation. The article demonstrates imbalances in the population distribution in the Northwestern Federal District, which exacerbate the recreational needs of large cities, including recreational tourism. The author gives a brief analysis of the operating experience of rural tourism facilities in Europe, considers recreational potential of countryside in Leningrad region, and characterizes the municipal districts with well-developed infrastructure of rural tourism. The role of government in the reorientation of the population preferences of major cities to the countryside is shown. Guest houses as the examples of successful projects of recreational tourism in rural areas in the region are considered. The problems of development of infrastructure and tourism service are specifies. The article examines the complex of factors needed for successful development of rural tourism in the regions and municipalities. Author emphasizes the need of creation the mechanisms to manage the risks of entrepreneurs, which operating in the tourism sector in rural areas. The author defines the target group of people interested in the development of recreational tourism in rural areas (town dwellers and rural population, regional and municipal authorities) and on the statistical basis shows a significant resource and territorial development potential of recreational tourism in rural areas. The key issues, which hinder development of recreational tourism in rural areas, including, among other factors, the lack of a unified development concept of this type tourism in the region are identified.