Makhachkala, January 5, 2018. In 2017 the tourist flow to the republic of Dagestan expanded to more than 513 thousand people, that is 18% more compared to the 2016 year indices. By the end of the swimming season on the coast of the Caspian Sea, the tourists displayed interest to the ethno-cultural and extreme routes in the highlands.

In the republic, 70 hotels, holiday homes, tourist bases were put into operation and started working in 2016-17s. A large number of tourists visited the ancient city of Derbent with its Juma mosque, which is considered to be one of the main points of reference for the spread of Islam in Russia.

Based on the results of the national tourism rating, Dagestan took the first place among the regions of the North Caucasian Federal District and the 50th place among the subjects of the Russian Federation. Dagestan is included into the top-five regions on the country by the number objects of cultural heritage.