Ecological tourism is an important direction of tourism, which can get its natural development in the Orenburg region. There are all the necessary conditions for this in this region. Orenburg region is one of the rather large regions of Russia, part of the Volga Federal District (PFD). This region is located between Europe and Asia on the borders of natural zones that combine plains and mountains, forests and steppes, these conditions contribute to the expansion of tourism activities carried out by tourism industry enterprises. The existing natural resources of the Orenburg region contribute to the creation of a foundation for the development and implementation of promising investment projects, including in the environmental sphere, which in the long term will favorably affect the sustainable development of the Orenburg region, as in principle, and other subjects of Russia. Today, the objects of the nature reserve fund of Orenburg region have begun to develop successfully: special tourist routes and eco-trails are being developed, the appropriate infrastructure is being formed. The development of ecotourism in the region is hindered by such factors as the lack of socio-ecological and economic interest and favorable conditions for investment in the development of ecotourism; the lack of complete information about recreational areas of national nature parks and reserves. The popularization of eco-tourism in social networks and in the media is very insignificant. As a tourist product, ecotourism requires the development of new programs that would meet the requirements of various segments of consumers and correspond to the quality of services provided in the tourist market. The study used such general scientific methods as cartographic, analysis of literary and statistical sources, information and statistics of electronic portals, websites of various environmental initiatives and organizations, and others. For the purpose of the study, a conceptual review of the concept of “ecological tourism” was conducted, the natural resources of the Orenburg region were investigated. Based on the study, links between ecotourism and sustainable development of the region were formed.
Ecological tourism is an important direction of tourism, which can get its natural development in the Orenburg region. There are all the necessary conditions for this in this region. Orenburg region is one of the rather large regions of Russia, part of the Volga Federal District (PFD). This region is located between Europe and Asia on the borders of natural zones that combine plains and mountains, forests and steppes, these conditions contribute to the expansion of tourism activities carried out by tourism industry enterprises. The existing natural resources of the Orenburg region contribute to the creation of a foundation for the development and implementation of promising investment projects, including in the environmental sphere, which in the long term will favorably affect the sustainable development of the Orenburg region, as in principle, and other subjects of Russia. Today, the objects of the nature reserve fund of Orenburg region have begun to develop successfully: special tourist routes and eco-trails are being developed, the appropriate infrastructure is being formed. The development of ecotourism in the region is hindered by such factors as the lack of socio-ecological and economic interest and favorable conditions for investment in the development of ecotourism; the lack of complete information about recreational areas of national nature parks and reserves. The popularization of eco-tourism in social networks and in the media is very insignificant. As a tourist product, ecotourism requires the development of new programs that would meet the requirements of various segments of consumers and correspond to the quality of services provided in the tourist market. The study used such general scientific methods as cartographic, analysis of literary and statistical sources, information and statistics of electronic portals, websites of various environmental initiatives and organizations, and others. For the purpose of the study, a conceptual review of the concept of “ecological tourism” was conducted, the natural resources of the Orenburg region were investigated. Based on the study, links between ecotourism and sustainable development of the region were formed.