Ecological Tourism as One of the Priority Directions of Ecological Investment: Assessment of Opportunities and Prospects for the Economic Security of the Region

Sausheva Oksana Sergeevna PhD in Economics Associate professor, Department of Theoretical Economics and Economic Security, N. P. Ogarev's Mordovia State University 430005, Russia, Republic of Mordovia, Saransk, Bolshevistskaya str., 68 savox@mail.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction. Tourism in general and its individual directions, such as ecotourism or ecotourism, are gradually becoming the driver of the development of many national economies.

For the Russian Federation as a whole and for individual regions in particular, tourism allows us to solve a whole range of important tasks. On the one hand, tourism is an economic sphere of activity for small and medium–sized businesses in the non-resource sector, which forms 3.9% of gross domestic product and 0.7% of total employment in the country, taking into account the hotel sector and 3.5% of total employment in the country, taking into account tourism in general. On the other hand, tourism and recreation are a necessary condition for ensuring a high standard of living for the population. Currently, the domestic tourism sector has experienced and continues to experience a number of serious shocks associated with epidemiological, geopolitical and technological constraints. The influence of these factors and their consequences once again emphasized the need for the development of a national competitive tourist and recreational complex and the development of inbound, but mainly domestic tourism. Awareness of this need contributed to the fact that the Government of the Russian Federation has developed a set of measures aimed at supporting industry enterprises: national projects "Tourism and hospitality Industry", "International Cooperation and Export", "Ecology", Affordable Travel Program (tourist cashback), compensation of expenses related to the payment of recreation and healthcare for children, preferential loans and grants for the creation of tourist infrastructure.

According to the Russian Government, ecotourism accounts for only 2% of the industry's turnover in Russia. Meanwhile, the prospects are huge: according to the UN World Tourism Organization (UN WTO), our country ranks fifth in the world in terms of the number of natural sites interesting for ecotourism and is considered one of the greenest countries thanks to a huge forest fund. Most of all, the so–called Australian model of ecotourism has taken root in Russia - traveling to mostly undisturbed nature. And this is not surprising, because specially protected natural territories occupy 238.8 million hectares, or 13.9% of the country's area^[1].

The Republic of Mordovia has certain advantages for the development of certain areas of tourism: ethnotourism (Mordovia is a Finno-Ugric region), agrotourism (Mordovia is an agrarian republic), as well as ecological tourism. There are several protected areas on the territory of the republic: the Mordovian State Nature Reserve named after P.G. Smidovich, the Smolny National Park, 93 natural monuments – 35 botanical, 27 aquatic, 18 complex, 3 geological and 8 zoological, memorial objects of aesthetic, scientific, educational, historical value ^[1].

The purpose of this study is to analyze the prospects for the development of eco-tourism in a separate subject of the Federation (the Republic of Mordovia) and to assess ecotourism as a promising area of environmental investment. The hypothesis is put forward that the development of ecotourism on the territory of the Republic of Mordovia can become one of the directions of economic diversification using unique natural, cultural and historical resources. An important aspect here is that investment projects in the field of ecotourism can be implemented relatively in the short term, do not require significant (compared to high-tech industries) financial investments and the use of unique technologies, and also do not critically depend on the skill level of potential employees.

Literature review. Tourism is a well-studied area, while the relationship between tourism activity and its impact on the environment has been the subject of close attention not so long ago.

The development of ecotourism has additionally become necessary due to the increase in the number of tourists and the resulting unstable development ^[2,3,4]. A number of authors note that the goals of ecotourism are to reduce the severity of environmental problems, support the rural population, increase the income of municipalities, improve the management of natural resources and reduce poverty in rural areas ^[5,6,7]. Therefore, some scientists have proposed ecotourism strategies to protect natural ecosystems and increase the standard of living in local communities ^[8]. Specially protected natural areas (protected areas) offer ecotourism services as an additional component of their significant ecological value ^{[9, 10]}. Protected areas provide shelter to many species of animals and plants that do not find habitat in other places due to human economic activity ^{[11, 12]}.

Separate studies were devoted to investing in the field of eco-tourism. Thus, in ^[13], tourism to the Arctic territories of the Russian Federation is considered as a promising investment direction, as well as the consequences of its development for the environment. The authors of this study note that the impact of ecotourism development on the well-being of local communities will vary depending on the spatial localization of the community, the degree of urbanization and industrial development. The specifics of the ecological diversity of tourism are more consistent with remote areas, without a serious environmental burden from existing industrial enterprises. These territories also have a higher potential for the development of related, interdependent or complementary types of tourism – ecological, natural, sports, gastronomic, etc. In this regard, it is the remote rural communities (for example, historical fishing villages on the White Sea) that have the greatest potential in providing the final product of ecotourism. This distribution of functionality also determines the ultimate benefits for local rural and urban communities from the development of ecotourism.

The development of tourism by initiating the creation of new jobs and appropriate infrastructure will help compensate for the negative migration trends characteristic of many regions of the Russian Federation, including Mordovia. At the same time, it is important to note that from the point of view of staffing, tourism is not the field of activity that imposes the strictest qualification requirements, equipping workplaces does not differ in high costs, and women traditionally make up the majority of those employed in tourism. Taking into account all of the above, this article suggests that the development of ecological tourism within the framework of the formation of ecological profile zones in the Republic of Mordovia and in similar regions may become a way to solve certain socio-economic problems of such territories.

An analysis of the literature on research issues and a preliminary analysis of the socio-economic prerequisites for the development of ecotourism in the Republic of Mordovia suggest that this region has significant spatial similarities with certain territories of Europe, which successfully develop ecotourism as one of the areas of diversification of mainly mono-sectoral local economies.

Trends in ecotourism development at the federal and regional levels The main indicators of tourism development according to the annual study of the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC) with the participation of Oxford Economics experts in 2022 are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Indicators of tourism sector development in the world economy ^[14]

According to table 1, the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic are clearly visible, which have had a very negative impact on the tourism and travel sector. According to the results of 2021, among the G20 countries in terms of the total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP, the United States led, followed by China and Germany. According to this indicator, Russia was in 14th place in 2021.

Table 2 shows the indicators of tourism development in Russia.

Table 2. Indicators of the development of the tourism industry in the Russian Federation/ Compiled according to Rosstat

According to the Federal Tourism Agency, the total flow of Russian tourism in 2021 amounted to over 110 million people. In the Russian Federation, 4.3 million people were employed in the tourism sector in 2021 (this is the 11th place in the world). It should be noted that ecotourism in Russia is gaining momentum the most: in 2021, 10.6 million people visited federal reserves, nature reserves and national parks, the share of ecotourism was 10%. It is planned to launch an alternative in 2022 Booking.com for specially protected natural areas^[2].

One of the tasks of the national project "Ecology" was to increase the attendance of protected areas to 10.3 million people per year by 2024, however, the target value was reached ahead of schedule, even by the end of 2021, 8.6 million visitors per year were planned for 2022, but it is already obvious that the attendance will not be less In 2021, 1.7 million people have already visited the protected areas in the first quarter.

Table 3 shows data illustrating the situation in the field of ecotourism in the Russian Federation. Even despite the limitations associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 the growth of visitors to visitor centers in national parks was 43.9% compared to 2014 (and in 2019 there was an increase of 3.48 times compared to 2014); the growth of visitors to ecological trails and routes was 3.14 times (2020 in relation to 2014).

Table 3. Ecological, educational and tourist activities on the territory of state nature reserves and national parks in the Russian Federation. Compiled according to Rosstat.

Thus, it can be concluded that there are significant prospects for the development of the eco-tourism sector at the federal level.

In the Republic of Mordovia, tourism is considered as one of the priority areas for the development of the regional economy.

The catalyst for the development of the tourism industry in the Republic of Moldova was the holding of the World Cup and the preparation for it. Since the beginning of 2019, the number of tourists arriving in Mordovia has been constantly growing. However, the potential for growth of the tourism sector in the Republic of Moldova is still significant. Figure 1 shows Rosstat data on the assessment of tourist flow for January-October 2022 in the regions of the Volga Federal District. As follows from Figure 1, Mordovia is in last place in the Volga Federal District. In 10 months of 2022, 169 548 tourists visited the region, which is 27.2% less than in the Penza region, 43.7% less than in Mari El, 53.6% less than in the Ulyanovsk region.

Therefore, the search for new directions of tourism development is constantly on the agenda in the region. So, in 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia determined the winners of the first competitive selection for the grant "Agrotourism". This measure of state support was received by 51 projects in the fields of fish farming, production of farm products and winemaking and others. In Mordovia, two projects were able to implement their projects in the field of rural tourism with the help of federal budget funds.

Figure 1. Assessment of tourist flow in the regions of the Volga Federal District for the period from January to October 2022

One of the projects that received the grant was the recreation center "Cheshtaley Park", which is located in the Bolshebereznikovsky district. This is a cozy park for family holidays, located in a pine grove. Here you can spend a quiet family evening or enjoy an active holiday. At the moment, within the framework of the grant, the construction of additional rest houses and cafes on the territory of the park has already begun at the recreation center. In addition, the recreation center provides the possibility of fishing, visiting the farm, meeting animals, depending on the season, picking mushrooms and berries.

Another project from the Republic of Mordovia, which will also be implemented in the field of rural tourism, is a recreation center in the village of Smolny. The recreation place is located in the protected natural area of the Ichalkovsky district on the territory of the Smolny National Park. The recreation center is surrounded by a pine forest, there is a pond with clear water nearby. Vacationers can use a volleyball court, tennis courts, a sauna, visit a cafe, and go skiing in winter. Also, visitors to the recreation center have the opportunity to visit an aquafarm where African catfish are grown. The grant will be spent on the construction of a playground, home improvement and infrastructure improvement^[3].

In October 2021, an agreement was signed with the corporation "Tourism.The Russian Federation", which will allow regional firms to gain access to various tools of the national project "Tourism and the Hospitality Industry". There are unique places in Mordovia that are supposed to be included in the tourist-pilgrimage cluster "Arzamas – Diveevo – Sarov", since Saransk – Temnikov – Sanaksar is an integral part of the whole chain of holy places. In addition, there are unique cultural sites that are a place of attraction for tourists.

Table 4 shows data on the number of specially protected natural areas (SPNA) in the Volga Federal District.

Table 4. Number of specially protected natural territories in 2021.

As can be seen from Table 4, there are 99 protected areas in Mordovia, of which 2 are federal, 87 are regional, and 10 are local.

The two main protected areas of the region are the Smolny National Park in the Ichalkovsky district and the P. G. Smidovich Mordovian State Reserve in Temnikovsky. In 2017, the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Reserved Mordovia" was created, which united both protected areas under its management. In addition to typical goals in the spirit of "preservation and study of unique and typical natural complexes, development and implementation of scientific methods of nature protection, environmental monitoring", "Reserved Mordovia" sets itself the task of "creating conditions for regulated tourism and recreation"^[4].

Conclusions and recommendationsSumming up the results obtained, some significant conclusions were formulated within the framework of this study.

The analysis of the existing tourist infrastructure and tourist resources in combination with the emerging modern trends in the development of tourism in the country and the Republic of Mordovia suggest that this territory can be considered a promising territory for the development of tourism, including environmental nature. Existing and planned tourism projects on the territory of the Republic of Mordovia are formed on the basis of tourist and infrastructure resources of the region. The nature of the spatial organization implies the formation of not only intraregional tourist zones of ecological specialization, but also potential opportunities for the development of interregional and cross-border spaces (as an option, we can consider the joint development of the tourist potential of the Finno-Ugric regions of the Russian Federation).

At the same time, it should be noted that since ecotourism is a new and unconventional direction of tourist activity for the studied territory, it requires the involvement of companies engaged in this sector and a number of innovations. Here are the main ones:

Technological innovations: the use of modern technologies of wooden house construction, environmentally friendly materials and resources, including renewable energy sources, in accommodation facilities; provision of organic food, recyclable and decomposable dishes (for example, from bioplastics based on plant waste ^{[15, 16]} in public catering places. The Republic of Mordovia has a significant potential for the production of pellets (Playterra JSC) – given the high cost of its own energy resources in the region, this type of biofuel is economically feasible. At the same time, in a number of industries, for example, in organic agriculture, further scientific research is needed to create effective environmentally friendly fertilizers: the current yield of organic crops is lower than traditional ones. It is also necessary to develop eco-modules that would allow people to stay in national parks without harm to the environment.

Organizational and managerial innovations: the introduction of innovations in the field of regulating the resources of tourism companies, their personnel and motivation to work in the field of ecotourism and improving their competence - this is especially relevant in modern conditions of depopulation of the territory. Also, an important role, given the significant negative consequences for the territory of anthropogenic impact, will be played by the management of the life cycle of a tourist product. It should be noted that the distribution channels of the product often shift to an external distributor, however, given the current low level of environmental responsibility of Russian citizens, the traditional work of the distributor may be ineffective; it requires the creation of its own sales channels with an innovative approach to their promotion;

Marketing innovations: new methods of market segmentation, taking into account the level of environmental responsibility of citizens, and, as a result, new strategies for the coverage and development of each selected segment; the use of 3D modeling and augmented reality technologies in visit centers and tourist offices (although these technologies can be applied to any tourist product, they are especially effective for illustration beauty of natural objects);

Economic innovation: the goal of tourism companies should be not just to make a profit, but the sustainable development of the territory – meeting the current needs of tourists while preserving the environment and without compromising the opportunities of future generations. This implies, on the one hand, the preparation of non-financial reporting by companies, and, on the other hand, will give them access to the market of new "green" financing instruments. In addition, it is important to reconsider pricing strategies. It is well known that environmental materials and resources are often more expensive than their traditional counterparts ^{[17, 18, 19]}, however, an increase in the cost of a tourist product can negatively affect its promotion. Accordingly, an urgent task is the implementation of a policy of differentiated prices that take into account the opportunities of citizens of different living standards, as well as the creation of a brand of the territory as a promising direction of ecotourism, since the brand increases both confidence in the product and customer loyalty.;

Information innovations: providing information on Internet sites, in booklets and during presentations of the tourism sector not only about the positive aspects of this type of tourism for tourists themselves, but also about their contribution to the sustainable development of the territory ^[20].

Conclusion. The study made it possible to draw the following conclusions.

Ecological tourism (ecotourism) is a specific form of providing tourist services based on the attraction and careful use of ecosystems. Unlike sustainable tourism, which can be expressed in any form – industrial, agrarian, ethnographic, etc., but mean no harm to the environment, preservation of ecosystems for future generations, ecotourism is natural tourism, implying unity with nature, which is especially significant in the current conditions of constant stress among residents of megacities. Consequently, in the medium term, this form of tourist activity will be in significant demand. Diagnostics of the modern development of ecotourism in the Russian Federation and in the Republic of Moldova has shown the presence of a significant underutilized potential in this area, which allows us to consider ecotourism as one of the most promising areas of environmental investment.

^[1] Shulga M. The route has been rebuilt: why is it time for Russia to invest in ecotourism [Electronic resource] / URL: https://www.forbes.ru/society/442707-marsrut-perestroen-pocemu-rossii-pora-vkladyvat-sa-v-ekoturizm

^[2] Eco-tourism in Russia is gaining momentum URL: https://ysia.ru/ekologicheskij-turizm-v-rossii-nabiraet-oboroty/

^[3] In Mordovia, two projects are implementing a grant for the development of projects in the field of rural tourism - the tourist portal of Mordovia (turizmrm.ru )

^[4] "Reserved Mordovia": prospects of ecotourism in the region. URL: https://madeinmordovia.ru/ecotourizm/