Domestic tourism in the Caucasian Mineral Waters area during the COVID-19 outbreak

Abstract

Annotation. The article deals with the problems of domestic tourism in the Caucasus Mineral Waters area during the spread of the COVID-19 virus, presents current data on the state of resort cities and the prospect of using the cultural and historical potential. The issues of increasing interest in the potential of the region, the resumption of tourist flow, and the development of domestic tourism in the Caucasus Mineral Waters area in the conditions of socio-economic crisis were discussed. The relevance of the research in the form of developing the potential of the cities of Pyatigorsk, Yes-sentuki, Kislovodsk, Zheleznovodsk and the need to use the resources of Russian ter-ritories to attract domestic tourists is justified. The paper uses methods of analysis, analogy, deduction, generalization, and forecasting. The aim of the research is for-mulated and achieved: the peculiarities of functioning of the ecological spa area of the Caucasus Mineral Waters are revealed. The results of the article are presented by the opinion of the authors and conclusions of experts on the resumption of the tourist industry; successive stages of actions of state and municipal authorities that contrib-ute to the creation of favorable conditions for the maintenance and development of domestic tourism, small and medium-sized businesses, and enterprises in the sphere of hotel services. The obtained results indicate the availability of initial measures to combat COVID-19.