Features of Tourist Routes in the Republic of Sakha: Extreme Tours, Unique Natural Sites, Archaeological and Ritual Attractions

Abstract

Tourism is an important element of the social and economic development of Russia. The northern territories play an important role in the development of the Russian economy in general and the tourism industry in particular. Nordic tourism involves careful respect for environmental and social sustainability, the promotion of traditional local knowledge and value systems, and the preservation of local cultural heritage and cultural landscapes. The article analyses the promotion of the tourism potential of Yakutia. The northern territories of Russia are rich in natural resources and economic potential but do not have an effective tourist infrastructure due to the harsh climate and vast territories of permafrost. The study presents the results of the analysis of the main tourist routes of the Sakha Republic. The main factors for the development of tourism were determined by a set of landscape characteristics (unique nature of the Lena River, biological diversity of flora and fauna), ethnocultural and historical context, as well as infrastructure considerations (proximity to the capital, inexpensive transport, and engineering systems). The study demonstrated that scientific tourism in Central Yakutia is quite real and has great prospects due to the unique landscapes. It can also give impetus to new scientific discoveries. Defining and describing cultural landscapes, collecting field materials and mapping cultural and landscape zoning can simplify the work for the creators of tourist routes in the future.