Prospects and challenges for the development of Arctic tourism in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Abstract

The Arctic territories have unique natural and cultural features that attract tourists from all over the world. These features include unique landscapes, a wealth of flora and fauna, as well as the traditions and customs of the indigenous peoples of the North. The geographical location of the Arctic territories plays an important role in their attractiveness to tourists. They are located at high latitudes, with long nights and short days in winter, and longer days and shorter nights in summer. Arctic tourism is becoming an increasingly popular form of recreation around the world. The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is located in the north of Eastern Siberia, has access to two seas – the East Siberian and the Laptev, about 40 % of the territory of the Republic is in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. This work contains a clarification of the definition of the concept of «Arctic tourism», identification of the most popular types of tourist services characteristic of the Arctic, as well as a comparative analysis of trends and prospects for the development of Arctic tourism in the territory of 13 regions of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) included in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. The author draws conclusions regarding the prospects for the development of Arctic tourism on the territory of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The Arctic is a unique region that attracts the attention of many tourists. However, due to its inaccessibility and the fragility of the ecosystem, it is necessary to carefully approach the development of routes and the regulation of tourism activities.