PERCEPTIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND OF TOURISM IN THE ALTAI REPUBLIC, THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Abstract

Although only 210,000 people reside in the Altai Republic of Western Siberia, the area received 1.8 million tourists in 2015. The overwhelming majority of visitors arrive from other areas of Russia. While tourists appreciate the landscape of the Altai Mountains and bring increased seasonal economic activity, not all of tourism’s effects benefit the local culture, economy or environment. This paper presents survey data concerning perceptions of residents and visitors about the environment and tourism. During the summer of 2015, a survey was distributed in four locations across the Altai Republic. Resident respondents included Russians, local members of Altaian clans, and Kazakhs, and visitors included Russian citizens from across the Russian Federation. Analyzing the data contributes to understanding the complex interactions between tourists, residents, indigenous peoples, the environment and the cultural landscape.