Organization and functioning of accommodation facilities as a component of rural tourism infrastructure in the Rostov Region

This study is aimed at analyzing rural accommodation facilities, identifying the list of basic and additional services of rural hospitality enterprises, such as accommodation services, catering, excursions and leisure activities for guests, taking into account the local authentic experience. The article reveals the concept and essence of rural tourism, justifies the relevance and expediency of the development of accommodation facilities as a component of the rural tourism infrastructure of the Rostov region.


Introduction
The combination of hotels and other accommodation facilities acts as the main element of the concept of «tourism industry». It is the accommodation facilities that are the main component of the tourism infrastructure, since the accommodation service is a key element of the tourism product. Thanks to the emerging infrastructure, tourist resources are being developed, their attractiveness and accessibility for tourists are increasing, and the tourist capacity of the territory is growing.Thus, hotel services are the basis of the tourism offer, including that of the rural tourism. In this sphere, they take the form of accommodation in thematic rural accommodation facilities, farm guest houses and guest room rentals.
According to the UNWTO data, rural tourism is one of the five main strategic directions of tourism development in the world. In developed European countries this type of tourism brings about 20-30% of the total revenue within the tourism industry. Tourism in Russia is an important industry, with only 20% of Russia's tourism potential being used. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, 11 regions are engaged in the development of rural tourism in Russia, the share of this segment of the industry being only 2%. There are at least a thousand administrative districts where rural tourism can be developed. Despite the fact that rural tourism is a relatively new trend for Russia, dozens of projects have already been implemented in the country, such as «The Way Home» (Leningrad region), «Green House» (Altay Mountains), the so-called «B&B» network (Baikal Region), «Water, Nature and People in a Disappearing Landscape». Most of the rural tourism sites (more than 200) belong to the Irkutsk region, whereas the Kaluga region and the Altai territory have 100 in each of these subjects of the Russian Federation. Therefore, we can talk about the potential financial effect of agritourism development in Russia. If an integrated approach is implemented, that involves the joint development of agricultural activities and rural tourism, the effect may double.
The purpose of our work is to analyze the specifics of the organization and functioning of rural accommodation facilities and to study the impact of the increasing number of hospitality industry enterprises and the expanding list of additional services provided by them on the development of rural tourism in the Rostov region. Rural tourism can increase the attractiveness of territories not only as tourist sites, but also as places of permanent residence, make recreation in the countryside a profitable business, involve villagers in it and provide urban residents with recreation in ecologically clean areas as well as make them familiar with the local sights, folk crafts and traditions. Taking into account the prospect of rural tourism development in the Rostov region, it is necessary to generalize the experience of foreign countries (Spain, Finland, Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Poland, Belarus), where such tourist projects are most successfully implemented; to expand the number of accommodation facilities in rural areas, to arrange stylized estates for receiving tourists; to teach the basics of technologies for receiving and servicing tourists and drawing up reception programs; to develop programs for new tourist routes, cultural and leisure events for the countryside.

Materials and methods
In today's world it is impossible to stay on the sidelines and not take into account global industry trends, because sooner or later they will have to be considered both as strategies and practical steps. That is why it is extremely important to study the experience of European countries and follow global trends both in practice and in analytical research.
The following authors devoted their works to the study of rural tourism: T.N. Songkhla Rural tourism allows you to reduce the impact of negative factors of megacities on health, get away from working routine, relax with your family and children in the wild. Іn the past the concept of a holiday for the majority meant a trip to "the seaside", to a coastal area, though many people now prefer to spend their time in more tranquil natural surroundings. This change in understanding of "the holiday" has given rise to the concept of "rural tourism" in its current meaning [5]. Rural tourism is tourism and recreation combined, that is closely related to farming, agriculture, gardening, fishing, or any other agricultural business [6]. Rural tourism is a sector of tourism industry targeted at using the natural, cultural-historical and other resources and peculiarities of rural settlements for complex tourist product development. This field of small tourism business is oriented towards tourists' active rest and recreation in villages. Rural tourism is sometimes called "agritourism", "farm tourism" or "green tourism", although agritourism is often regarded as a trend of rural tourism which focuses on tourists' participation in farming activities together with local population of the villages. In this case tourists reside in farmers' houses and for a definite period live according to the local lifestyle [7].
As stated by Lane and Kastenholz, rural tourism has become an umbrella concept encompassing many different specific types of tourism rather than the narrow definition of the past. Rural tourism is regarded as a valid developmental strategy for rural areas in many developed and developing countries. Founded on rural tourism, this developmental strategy was aimed at the growth of agricultural economies while preserving the existing traditional structure [8]. However, although this approach to the development of the agricultural economy has become increasingly popular, Lun, Pechlaner, and Volgger emphasize that rural destinations should be careful about possible environmental issues, as well as economic and social problems, when basing their economies on tourism-based diversity [9]. Because the rural environment is particularly fragile and sensitive to the development of tourism. Compared to other types of tourism, rural tourism is at an early stage of development and is not the initial choice for most tourists. This is due to the problems of organizing rural tourism, as explained in the works of a number of authors [10,11]. In addition, a great role is played by seasonal fluctuations, this problem mentioned by foreign authors, in particular by R. M. Torres, J.H. Momsen [12], there are also certain problems with training qualified personnel [13,14].
To identify the specifics of functioning of rural accommodation facilities, it is proposed to identify the main four models of organizing agritourism business in Russia: The first model assumes business development on the basis of small family hotels, agritourist estates and existing tourist resources in rural areas without significant changes in the socio-cultural environment of the territory. Agritourist farm stays are organized on the basis of peasant farms, private farms that carry out agricultural production, have animals, land, which provides an opportunity for tourists to join agricultural labor.
The second model is aimed at recreating the socio-cultural environment of a historical settlement -a «historical village», a «national village», various historical sites such as noble and merchant estates, and monasteries. There are two main types of functioning tourist villages: the first type is expected to preserve architecture, everyday life and amenities of the Russian village, where guests are offered traditional Russian entertainments (traditional rituals, off-road routes, horse tours of various lengths and animation programs). Tourist villages of the second type have modern buildings made of natural materials and offer both traditional Russian games and present-day entertainments. This model requires significant investments, the development of special complex projects, extensive research, innovative management, creation of an appropriate regulatory framework, as well as development and implementation of a marketing plan [15]. Such business models currently operate on the basis of state museum complexes (YasnayaPolyana in the Tula region, Khmelita in the Smolensk region and some others).
The third model involves construction of large and medium-sized specialized private agritourist facilities in rural areas that operate within the tourism industry. For asuccessful implementation the model requires, first of all, large investment resources -both local and external, the development of appropriate complex projects and ensuring their support from the authorities at the regional and local levels.
The fourth model involves the creation of public or (less typically) private agricultural parks (agriparks) functioning as large, multifunctional tourist, exhibition, advertising and exposition, cultural and propaganda, research and innovation production complexes.
The Russian experience of organizing rural tourism, most commonly, consists of: renting out small cottages or rooms in rural areas, adapted for tourists' accommodation; organization of accommodation in a rural house; organization of combined sports, environmental and educational tours including a 3-5-day stay in a guest house in their programs; organization of fishing and hunting with accommodation in rural areas. Rural guest houses may include mini-hotels, agritourist farms, fisherman's and hunter's houses, bungalows, country estates and other small accommodation facilities.The primary factor in influencing customer experience, followed by home atmosphere, and three other factors, including cleanliness, location and room facilities, all influence the customer experience significantly [16].
The analysis of the hotel services market and the prospects for rural tourism development in the Rostov region, in the context of formation of a tourist and recreational cluster, is carried out in the works of authors such as L. N. Kazmina, V.S. Makarenko, V.V. Provotorina, T.N. Grigorenko [17,18].
Rural-type accommodation facilities are an instrument of preserving historical heritage, traditions, folk crafts and trades and have a multifaceted impact on the surrounding area. From an economic point of view, rural accommodation facilities provide additional income through self-employment of rural residents, increasing the investment attractiveness of rural areas. The social role of rural accommodation development is to create jobs for the population, especially for young people. Working in a rural guest house can be a factor that will keep young people from moving to the city, secure the population and preserve rural areas. A guest house on the basis of farming facilities and personal part-time farms provide tourists with environmentally friendly products, which is not always available in urban environments. The arrangement of a house and surrounding areas allows you to preserve the identity of the Russian village and ennobles the surrounding landscape.
The research methodology is based on the use of the comparative analysis method, which allowed us to compare rural accommodation facilities in the Rostov region in order to objectively assess their infrastructure and the specifics of providing basic and additional services. The use of the typification method allowed us to consider the existing accommodation facilities in rural areas from the point of view of the guest service organization. The long-term planning method was used to develop recommendations for improving one of the main components of rural tourism infrastructure, i.e. accommodation facilities. Statements, conclusions and recommendations contained in the article are based on the use of combined methods of historical and logical analysis as well as the economic and statistical method.

Results
Currently, there are about 4,500 rural tourist accommodation facilities in Russia, including 3,500 rural guest houses and about 1,000 agri-tourist farms. Other rural tourism sites (craft houses, craft and trade workshops, rural «museums of traditional life», country routes, places of interest, interactive programs, etc.) total about 10,000. A number of Russian regions, relying on their unique nature, rich cultural and material heritage and traditions of the rural population, are successfully implementing projects in the field of rural tourism. These regions include the Kaluga, Vologda and Yaroslavl regions, the Altai Republic, Buryatia and Khakassia, and many others. The target consumers of this type of tourism are residents of large industrial cities with unfavorable environmental conditions, as well as foreigners, interested in culture, folklore, and rituals.
In the Rostov region there are about 1000 accommodation facilities, a significant part of those, about 700, being urban. Thus, rural accommodation facilities of various types account for about 300 units, with an average capacity of 15 rooms and an average cost of accommodation per night of 1900 rubles. The total number of rooms in rural hotels is 1,700 rooms, and there are more than 5,000 beds.
As it can be seen from the figures, the share of hospitality enterprises of the rural type in the Rostov region is insignificant. The Rostov region had 55 administrative-territorial divisions, including 12 urban and 43 municipal districts, as well as 408 administrativeterritorial units: 18 urban and 390 rural settlements. The population of the region, according to the Federal Service of State Statistics, is 4195327 people, with 68% urban and 32% rural residents. The rural population density ranges from 8 to more than 30 people per square kilometer. Of the 43 municipal districts in the region, 28 have a rural population of 100% of the total population. In other districts the ratio of urban to rural population ranges from 14% to 65% of the total population of the districts, which indicates uneven territorial distribution.
The city of Rostov-on-Don and the Rostov region attract millions of tourists annually with their rich history, unique nature, hospitable residents and original Cossack culture. Four typical districts of the Rostov region were selected for detailed analysis: Semikarakorsk, Ust-Donetsk, Azov and Myasnikovsky districts. These areas have a favorable physical and geographical location, extended transport infrastructure, rich history, original culture and are characterized by proximity to the regional center. A comparative analysis of rural accommodation facilities in the typical districts of the region is given in table 1.
The nature, climate, history, culture and traditional cuisine of the Azov region contribute to the development of tourism. Guests to the Azov region are attracted by the Don delta, the Alexander forest, located in a protected area in the Azov steppes and representing a rare ecological zone in the Rostov region. Hotels and recreation centers in the Azov region are ready to accept people with different income levels. The only five-star hotel in the Rostov region «Old House Resort&Spa» is located on the picturesque bank of the Don, just a 30-minute drive from the center of Rostov-on-Don (Ust-Koysugk hutor, Azov district). The hotel is part of the «Province Hotels» chain and the Rostov Bathing Residence «City Village». It offers 23 comfortable rooms, a restaurant, an outdoor pool, a sauna complex, a SPA complex and a marina. By way of additional services, the hotel offers car and water tours on a comfortable boat. Besides, the hotel organizes fishing and hunting tours. Throughout the centuries of their formation and development, the Cossacks stood on guard of the borders of their native land, as well as the Orthodox faith and law. So in our days the Cossacks, revived on the Don land, have not lost their values and faith. The ethnographic hotel and catering complex «Kazachiy Dozor» (The Cossack Watch) preserves the history, customs and traditions of the free Cossack people. The hotel complex «Kazachiy Dozor» consists of 17 cozy white Cossack kurens (huts) and a large two-storey house (table 1). The interior of the houses is fully designed in the Cossack style: white walls, wooden furniture, lamps, homespun rugs on the floor. «Kazachiy Dozor» is the largest and most famous cultural and ethnic complex of the Don Cossacks in Russia. It offers fishing, boat trips and horse riding, wonderful nature and fresh air. The Azov district, which has extensive sandy beaches on the Azov coast and the banks of the Don, is home to many monuments of history, culture and nature, a large number of various accommodation facilities, good transport accessibility, making it a particularly attractive place for organizing rural tourism, which is a promising economic activity.
The Myasnikovsky district is an administrative unit of the Rostov region, with the territory adjacent to the regional centerthe city of Rostov-on-Don, which is a positive factor for the successful development of the hotel industry, excursion activities and tourism. The territory of the district is rich in architectural monuments and historical places of interest. The specific development of the hotel services market in the Myasnikovsky district of the Rostov region is based on natural and recreational conditions, the convenient location, its proximity to a transport interchange; the concentration of a large number of rather popular public catering enterprises, which are especially popular as placesfor rest and holding celebrations of different scales, as well as wedding ceremonies of customers from nearby localities, including Rostov-on-Don, the city with a population of more than one million. In May 2019 the Myasnikovsky district (in the village of Chaltyr), with the support of the Consumer Market Department of the Rostov region, held the first gastronomic competition -the festival of kebabs. During the festival all participants and guests experienced the unique national flavor. Despite its small administrative significance, the Myasnikovsky district has a sufficient number of guest houses and mini-hotels. The «Khutorok» country club is one of the largest ones, located in the khutor (village) of Leninavan. The club's hotel consists of a separate building and log cabins, making up 42 places for guests. Comfortable guest houses (6 units) aremade of oak frames (table 1). There is a sauna on the territory of the club. Every spring the hotel opens two swimming pools for visitorsadults and children. The «Khutorok» country club provides catering services at a restaurant that offers Russian and Don home-style cuisine with elements of Caucasian cooking. Due to its location in a recreational area on the shore of a reservoir and with a fairly large territory available, the country club is quite popular. «Zhemchuzhina» hotel is located in the central part of the village of Chaltyr. The sights of the village, such as the Armenian Church of St. Ambartsum, the History and Etnography Museum, the Metz Chorvakh Spring and the memorial of military glory, are within walking distance from the hotel. Connoisseurs of national cuisine are invited to a cozy restaurant complex «Rendezvous» in the village of Chaltyr. Today the Myasnikovsky district is a territory where Armenian, Russian and Ukrainian cultures are closely intertwined, combining the traditions of the Don Cossacks. Folk art is widely developed, represented by numerous professional and amateur groups. There are two museums in the district: the federal museum and preserve «Tanais» for the ancient history of the Don and the History and Ethnography Museum of the Myasnikovsky district for the history of the Don Armenians. In this area tourists can get acquainted with Russian and Armenian cultures, Cossack traditions and customs, see interesting national rites, become participants in ethnographic celebrations that reveal the richness of the national cultures of the Don people.
The Semikarakorsk district is attractive for tourism and recreation. The district mainly operates small-scale urban accommodationfacilities. The large hotel and catering complex «Kasachiya Pristan'», located in a picturesque place on the bank of the Don, is well-known in the entire Semikarakorsk district. There are 12 holiday cottages, stylized as Cossack huts with all amenities. The cottages can accommodate up to 40 people simultaneously. There is a restaurant with a banquet hall on the premises of «Pristan'», where you can try dishes of European and Cossack cuisine. The attention of premium-segment tourists is attracted by a country hotel on the bank of the Manychriver-«Utkino Country House», showing the hospitality of the Don region from a new, yet unexplored, angle (table 1). Regardless of the season, «Utkino Country House» offers a wide variety of activities: traditional hunting and fishing; horseback riding and show jumping classes in the equestrian club; archery, sporting and other types of shooting activities in the ranges of the sports and shooting club; exploring the Don trails on buggies or bicycles.
The Ust-Donetsk district is a unique historical and natural complex. Kurens (Cossack huts) and temples, preserved in villages and khutors, unique natural monuments -virgin steppes, ravine forests, crystal clear reservoirs and springs, picturesque spurs of the Donetsk ridge -give a great opportunity to get into the spirit of Cossack freedom.
Year after year lovers of quiet, contemplative recreation and supporters of active interaction with naturefishermen, mushroom pickers, archaeologists -come here. The rich heritage of the Don Cossacks made the Ust-Donetsk district one of the centers of cultural and educational tourism and recreation in the Rostov region. Five specially protected natural areas of regional significance are located on the territory of the Ust-Donetsk district: «Vlasovravine», «Razdorskiye slopes», «Kundryuchenskiy sands», «Ogib» natural areaand«Golden hills». The stanitsas (villages) of Razdorskaya and Melikhovskaya are famous for their springs, and there are wells with medicinal water in the villages of Pukhlyakovskaya and Ust-Bystryanskaya. The wines produced in the wineries of the Ust-Donetsk district are widely known on the Don and beyond. Numerous recreation centers and guest houses are located on the picturesque river banks. The tourist complex «Pukhlyakovsky Kazachiy Stan» on the bank of the Don is an opportunity to get acquainted with the history of the Don region, the economic and everyday life of the Don Cossacks. A large yard with all the facilities -sheds, a summer kitchen, a smithy, guest house «Kuren Rybaka» (Fisherman's Hut) and others, where the Cossack life is recreated, will allow you to immerse in the atmosphere of the Cossacks, as the guests can penetrate the Cossack life of the late 19th -early 20th century.
The unique ethnical and archaeological complex «Zateryanny Mir» (The Lost World) offers their guests more than just a relaxation. Here they can enter a world that goes back thousands of years. A fascinating journey into the past along the «Path of history» will take you to the Stone and Bronze Ages. Guests are invited to visit the huts, shrines and workshops of prehistoric people and to join the mysteries of rites and beliefs of our distant ancestors in an ancient mound. Interactive programs will help you master the skills of ancient hunters, fishermen and nomads. Here you will learn how to make and use ancient tools, sculpt pots and cut bones, paint with natural colors and make skins, shoot a bow and throw a spear and produce fire by friction -just as our ancestors did thousands of years ago. The «lost world» is not only a historical and archaeological reconstruction, but also a place of civilized recreation. Several cozy guest houses with two -three-, four-, six -and eightbed rooms are located under huge fir trees (table 1). There are barbecue grills, gazebos on the shore of the pond, playgrounds for volleyball and basketball, badminton and other sports activities, as well as a library, a shop and a sauna.
The analyzed areas have unique natural, climatic, cultural and historical features that create prerequisites for the development of rural tourism. The Ust-Donetsk district has the most complete set of tourist resources. For novices in rural tourism, literally every village or khutor (small village) in the Ust-Donetsk district can become a source of inspiration. One of the priorities in activities of the district administration is the intensive development of the recreation and tourism industry, creating conditions for civilized recreation by arranging beaches, building parking lots, modern accommodation facilities, catering companies and sports facilities.
When developing a list of additional services for rural accommodation facilities, it is necessary to follow the existing infrastructure of the Ust-Donetsk district. Its southern and eastern borders run along the Don and its tributary, the Seversky Donets. Rivers Aksay, Kerchik, Kundryuchya, Sukhoi Donets and Susat also flow here. The river valleys are full of old river beds, lakes, swamps, floodplain forests and meadows. These ecosystems serve as habitats for wild animals and are particularly important for nesting birds. Forests cover about 10% of the territory. The expanses of the Ust-Donetsk district outside the river valleys are flat and steppe-like. There are gullies and ravines, as well as ranges of hills. The right bank of the Don is distinguished by a variety of landscape forms. The regional highway Shakhty -Tsimlyansk passes through the district, and a dead-end railway line leads to the district center from Gornaya station. Shipping is carried out on the Don. The economy of the district is mainly agricultural, industrial and transport oriented. To date, the district has 28 agricultural enterprises, 78 farms, 3 motor transport enterprises, 2 water transport enterprises, 2 telecommunication enterprises and 1 enterprise of "Gloria Jeans" LLC. Today the area of agricultural land in the Ust-Donetsk district is almost 70% of the district's territory. The number of rural residents is 64% of the total population of the district. Most attractions in the district are located in Razdorskaya village (stanitsa) and Pukhlyakovsky khutor. E.g., in the old capital of the Don land many Cossack houses, huts, commercial and household buildings have been preserved, the ethnographic museum and reserve is functioning as well. Two ethnographic complexes, an art gallery and a museum for the Don wine-making have been created in Pukhlyakovsky. The khutor also has a rich architectural heritage of the Cossack times. To date, there are 35 tourist accommodation facilities in the Ust-Donetsk district, 11 of them being rural. Unfortunately, the existing infrastructure needs to be upgraded.
resources are the most varied and give the opportunity to implement all four of the above models of agribusiness. To create comfortable conditions of staying (including transit) in the Ust-Donetsk district for tourists and visitors, it is advisable, in the short term, to build the following rural accommodation facilities: a hotel complex for tourists with 45 beds (according to the second model of agritourist business in Russia) and mini-hotels: «Dom Rybaka» (Fisherman's House), «Loza» (Vine), «Dom Okhotnika» (Hunter's House), «Paseka» (Apiary), «Kazachiy Stan» (Cossack camp), «Fermerskoye Podvoriye» (Farmstead). The exterior and interior of the suggested hotel industry sites should maintain the local atmosphere, as well as comply with the concept of small accommodation facilities. The profit of these small accommodations when working at 55-60% capacity can be more than 2 million rubles per year. Such typical rural accommodation facilities should be created in other areas of the Rostov region, taking into account the specifics of agricultural production and local atmosphere, which will increase the tourist flow and ensure economic growth of rural areas. In the south-south-east of the region, in Dubovsky, Zimovnikovsky, Peschanokopsk and other less populated districts that are distant from major cities, it is advisable to implement projects in the field of rural tourism according to the fourth model, which involves creation of large multifunctional complexes. As for areas next to the cities, the development of rural tourism can be limited to creating tourist centers and other small accommodation facilities used within the first model of agribusiness organization. The main source of income for such accommodation facilities is accommodation, food and entertainment services. The guests' diet should consist of traditional Russian dishes. Rural tourism is characterized by providing organic foods such as milk, eggs, vegetables and honey. Tourists can be offered water from natural sources and homemade drinks. Leisure activities are the main part of tourists' recreation. Additional services for such rural accommodation facilities may include: hunting and fishing, tours to local attractions, hiking and horseback riding in the forest, picking berries, herbs and mushrooms, participating in rites, getting acquainted with local traditions, learning folk crafts, swimming in reservoirs, Russian bath, caring for animals on the farm, agricultural skills. In order to ensure the attractiveness of the district for tourists, it is necessary to develop several major excursions and tour routes, including natural, cultural and historical sites within the area: «Pukhlyakovskaya vine», «Pukhlyakovskaya Cossack estate», «Khutor Pukhlyakovskythe path of history», «Maslenitsa (Pancake Week) in Razdory», «Don catch», «Heart of the Don», «Ermakov forest», «Loud glory of the Quiet Don», «Petrovskaya haven», «Don farmer».
A number of factors that have a restraining effect on the development of rural tourism in the Rostov region should be noted: poor quality roads, difficult accessibility, expensive travel, high prices for services; lack of information, advertising, marketing and promotion; poor infrastructure; lack of trained personnel; insufficient accommodation facilities; weak administrative support, insufficient attention of the authorities, lack of funding; a large share of the shadow market; weak cooperation; insufficient interaction of the authorities with the rural population. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a Program for the development of rural tourism in the Rostov region to popularize its various types, define the order of organization and functioning of rural accommodation facilities, the technology for booking rural guest houses, transporting and accommodating guests, providing them with additional services. Organizing the functioning of rural accommodation facilities will create an opportunity for mutual cooperation with enterprises, specialized service providers, as well as non-profit organizations and institutions, directly or indirectly related to rural tourism in their activities. Tourist and hotel complexes and guest houses will closely interact with the infrastructure of the districts, creating a kind of cluster, comprising: transportation, utility networks, power system, telecommunication systems -mobile, stationary, Internet; bars, cafes, restaurants, entertainment centers, department stores, markets, rural fairs; farms (peasant farms, nurseries, fish hatcheries, hunting farms); leisure enterprises, animation (hunting, fishing, centers of traditional crafts, local museums), events. This approach makes it possible to mobilize the resource of small and mediumsized enterprises in the area and increase their additional income. Thus, the organization of tourist services in rural accommodation facilities should become one of the most dynamically developing forms of offers in the sphere of rural tourism. This will create a stable motivation to improve the living conditions of rural residents, to increase their welfare based on the household's own resources, and will give rise to an interest in cooperation and interaction of neighbors in maintaining order and settlement outlook. In the future owners of rural accommodation facilities with an experience of dealing with tourists, in partnership with tour operators, will be able to develop their own programs for tourists and offer them a full package of services locally, which should significantly increase revenues. Full-fledged networks of rural accommodation facilities can potentially give development to new local tourist destinations, where the owners of hotel enterprises themselves will act as direct organizers of tourist routes, guides and interpreters.

Conclusions
Expanding the geography of rural accommodation facilities in the Rostov region, opening new and standard tourist and hotel complexes, mini-hotels, and extending the list of additional services they provide will contribute to the rural tourism infrastructure in the region and to its further development. Rural tourism will act as a modern and effective tool for the development of territories, increase the well-being of the population, especially in depressed areas of the region, provide an influx of investment, implementation of innovative projects and can contribute to the development of social infrastructure.
Increasing the number of accommodation facilities in the countryside will, on the one hand, ensure the preservation of historical heritage, support for national traditions and culture, folk arts and crafts, local customs and folklore, education of the rural population and their acquiring professions in the field of serving customers of the hospitality industry. On the other hand, opening new rural hotels will provide jobs, increase the standard of living in rural areas by enhancing the income of the population and giving boost to the revenues of local budgets, will promote the development of small businesses in rural areas, which will preserve the rural way of life and reduce the outflow of young people from the countryside. All this will contribute to solving important socio-ecological and economic issues in rural areas of the Don region.