The impact of the growth of the tourist load of the Republic of Karelia on the environmental situation of the region

The work examines the tourist potential of the Republic of Karelia, analyzes the tourist infrastructure of the territory, for which the performance indicators of collective accommodation facilities are determined; the dynamics of their quality and quantity are revealed; a comprehensive analysis of tourist facilities by types of tourism of the Republic of Karelia is carried out. Based on the results of the study, an approach to the analysis of the recreational load in specially protected natural areas (PAS) is proposed. This approach allows for scientifically based calculations of the optimal recreational load of protected areas, taking into account the multidirectional criterion of the optimum, due to the fact that an increase in the number of collective accommodation facilities generates an increase in the intensity of tourism in the Republic of Karelia and gives an increase in profits, but at the same time leads to the effect of a decrease in the quality of travel POI (point of interest) of tourists. The proposed economic and mathematical apparatus makes it possible to find the maximum load on the common area while maintaining maximum profit from the tourist segment, which will attract balanced investments and contribute to sustainable development. To ensure the sustainable development of tourism in the Republic of Karelia, it is necessary to monitor the actual recreational load of ecologically significant areas – these include territories where specially protected natural areas are located, such as state nature reserves, national parks, trails and routes used by tourists for walking and exploring local nature. As a result of the study, it is possible to draw conclusions about the importance of maintaining a balance between the development of tourism, which is a key factor in economic growth and attracting investment to the region, as well as the need for sustainable development of the territory to preserve its natural resources and cultural heritage. The Republic of Karelia demonstrates a trend towards positive dynamics of economic development of territories, accompanied by an increase in tourist potential, which increases the anthropogenic load on specially protected natural areas. This trend, in turn, will have a negative impact on the environmental situation of the region in the near future.