“Social tourism” is a term used to describe a wide variety of holiday types, destinations and target groups: social tourism initiateves can be commercial and non-commercial, governmental and private. They range from small charities organising holidays for children from low-income backgrounds, over government plans improving accessibility in hotels, to private tour operators offering ecological holidays. What all of these initiatives have in common, is that they bring a moral dimension  to tourism, and that their primary aim is to include people in tourism who would otherwise be excluded from it: low-income families with children, who cannot afford to go on holiday without support.

      Rosturizm intends to develop social tourism in the regions.

      Rosturizm introduced the program “Vacation” for the development of social tourism in the regions of Russia. This was stated by the Head of the Department Aleksandr Radkov in his speech to the Federation Council. According to Radkov, “the program is aimed at increasing the employment of population by creating new jobs”.

      The purpose of the project is also to provide additional social support to low-income families, elderly people and children. Finally, the program involves provision of health-resort treatment to the Russians who did not receive vacation packages through the Social Insurance Fund.

      “The cost of a vacation per person, according to our data, makes up 42 thousand roubles. The program provides for allocation of 16.8 thousand roubles by an employer in order to pay for a vacation” - Radkov added. The Head of Rosturizm noted that after the adoption of the relevant legal act around 8 million people will become the program participants.