This paper compares the representation of indigenous tourism experiences in advertisement materials with representations gathered from site visits and tourism sector interviews in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (NAO) in northern Russia. The study shows that a majority of the visual images and text used for marketing of the area construct a picture of an indigenous people living ‘in harmony’ with nature, representing a romanticized and historical image of indigenous communities. In contrast with these marketing images, large variations exist in everyday practices and among the numerous practical considerations related to the recent and limited development of tourism in the NAO.

Recent improvements in nature protection in the European territory of Russia’s Arctic islands and archipelagoes – such as the creation of the Russian Arctic National Park – have also resulted in an increase in visitation to this area. This study uses the Key Informants’ Technique to analyze Russian tourism planning and development of this territory since 2011. The majority of the principle stakeholders identified for this study agreed that these areas have great potential for tourism development and are already attracting both foreign and Russian tourists. At the same time, impediments to foreign cruise companies and individual travelers spell rather gloomy prospects for further destination development in the area. The contradictions of the current stage of tourism development support the assumption that Russia’s territorial interests still prevail. Tourism development appears to be a top-down enterprise, organized by less experienced tourism developers and bureaucrats and without consideration for the long-term perspective.