摘要：The chapter aims at overview of issued, related to specifics of sustainable rural development in resort areas. There is the analysis of dynamics and current state of tourism and recreation sector of Stavropol Region of the Russian Federation and particularly the resort area of Caucasus Mineral Waters. The chapter describes the recreational, resort and agricultural potential of the region, as well as discovers the major problems of its effective utilization in the purposes of sustainable rural development. The central objective of this chapter is to present a review of how tourism and recreation may affect rural development, as well as to provide a critical analysis of main approaches to sustainable regional development by means of tourism. The paper points out that tourism should get more attention in respect of sustainable development of rural territories and recreational areas, and the expected benefits from tourism must be carefully assessed.
