E. A. Pozachenyuk
V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, Simferopol, Russia
e-mail: pozachenyuk@gmail.com
Abstract
The integration of the new Azov region territories into the unified tourism space of the Russian Federation requires updating information about their tourist and recreational potential, the most important component of which is geomorphological resources. The paper aims to typify the geomorphological resources of the Azov Sea coast and assess their favourability for recreation. The study is based on the materials of a comprehensive expedition of the Russian Geographical Society (summer 2024), including remote sensing data interpretation, field observations and study of more than 430 key sites, as well as GIS analysis. For the first time, 84 geomorphological sites have been identified and characterised for the entire coast. The typification was carried out according to genesis, morphology, lithology and coastal dynamics. It has been established that the most valuable recreational resources are accumulative spits, bay-reef complexes, the Don River delta and mud volcanoes of Taman. Twenty-six sites (31%) have a high degree of favourability, 22 sites (26%) have a medium one, 23 sites (27%) have a low one and 13 sites (16%) have a very low one. The main limiting factors are intense abrasion (up to 8 m/year), cliff height, landslide processes, eustatic sea level rise causing beach waterlogging, flooding and water scarcity. The results indicate the need to shift from mass beach recreation to adaptive forms of tourism (ecological, sports, health-improving) and to undertake mandatory engineering preparation of the developed areas. The materials can be used to substantiate tourism development strategies and regional master plans for the Azov region.
Keywords
Russia, Azov Sea coast, geomorphological resources, resource assessment, recreation, tourism
Acknowledgments
The work was carried out under contract No. 26/06/2024 with the financial support of the All-Russian public organisation Russian Geographical Society.
About the authors
Ekaterina A. Pozachenyuk, Professor, Professor of the Department of Physical Geography and Geomorphology, Federal State Autonomous Educational Institution of Higher Education “V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University” (4 Akademika Vernadskogo Ave., Simferopol, 295007, Russia), DSc (Geogr.), ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4837-1009, ResearcherID: AAX-4733-2021, Scopus Author ID: 57021819500, pozachenyuk@gmail.com
For citation
Pozachenyuk, E.A., 2026. Geomorphological Resources for the Development of the Tourist and Recreational Complex in the Azov Region. Ecological Safety of Coastal and Shelf Zones of Sea, (3), pp. 6–20.
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