The article is devoted to the historical and ethnographic description of mountain gardening in Dagestan. A brief overview of the definitions of agriculture, horticulture and gardening is given. The importance of avoiding confusion between these basically close and partly identical terms in anthropological and ethnographic studies is illustrated in the case of mountain-valley horticulture. This approach examines a) the symbiosis of the economic and cultural traditions of the region; b) components of ethno-economics and ethno-ecology; c) technological modernization of the agricultural industry; d) an indicator of the resource potential of sustainable development of mountainous areas, the population of which retains traditional economic specialization; e) economic integration of mountainous territories into the region, the country, and the formation of interregional ties that give stability to the ethnic economy; f) criteria for the appropriate preservation of traditional ethno-culture.  The multiethnic composition of the population of the Russian Federation and the different levels of socio-economic development of its regions, highlight problems not only in the Caucasus but in all regions of the country. Many mistakenly see sustainable development in the recreational potential of the territory and the use of ethnic originality as a "brand" without considering potential, often negative consequences. In this regard, social problems are identified associated with the need to preserve the historical, cultural and natural heritage, traditional life support systems, and economic specialization. Craft centres that preserve the tradition of Russian "brands" are compared to authentic regional products. Since the 1990s mountain-valley gardening in Dagestan is in a state of stagnation due to socio-political, legal (land tenure and land use), and demographic (depopulation of mountainous territories) factors.

This article aims at a preliminary study of the status and prospects of the use of ethno-cultural and demographic  potential of Dagestan in the recreational and socio-economic development of Mountainous areas of the North Caucasus region, so-called mountain tourism for example: spas, sanatoria, skiing, climbing, trekking and handicrafts.  The perspectives of development of recreational opportunities in the North Caucasus are strongly connected with the population mobility and the stability of ethno-social situation and so have to be to be considered in the context of inter-ethnic (economic and cultural) communications of  largely outsider authorities and inhabitants on regional and international levels. In this sense, acknowledgement of the country its culture, an introduction to the history of traditional economic specialization and its evolution, traditional customs and ethnic particularities, seems very important. The practical, social significance of the development of recreational potential is determined by its metaphysical place in the preservation of historical-cultural and natural heritage: traditional social-support systems, economic specialization, and the handicraft centers.  Ignored by previous researchers, the fact that the phenomena of "ethnic economy", "ethnic entrepreneurship" and "preservation of traditional social institutions" of the peoples of the Caucasus (in this case) can be traced at all stages of their history, manifesting its exceptional stability during periods of change, such as local forms of government, changes of political regimes and ideological systems. Moreover, it is often ignored that the actual problems of integration of these social institutions into ‘state-modernized’ Russian society are the basic factors or reasons for destabilizing the system of interethnic relations. This occurs especially in areas where various forms of ethnic entrepreneurship are represented by first- or second-generation often forced migrants. We propose a practical approach to advise local good policy.

The article discusses relevant methodological and applied issues of using the recreational potential of mountain ethnocultural landscapes for the sustainable development of mountain areas, replenishing family budgets and improving the quality of life of mountaineers. As a methodological guideline, the principle of a systematic approach is used. Ethno-tourism is considered as a factor of direct and indirect impact on traditional life-support systems of selected rural enclaves.Positive factors of socio-economic development, as well as risks associated with restrictions on the development of private business, with contradictions and violations of moral and ethical standards, and ethnocultural degradation of rural areas are highlighted. It is noted that the consequence of the administrative solution of the problem of land and demographic imbalances between mountain regions and the plain due to large-scale migrations of mountaineers to the plain of more than two hundred mountain villages and farms was that a large number of terraced fields, gardens, agricultural land were abandoned. Attention is drawn to the fact that over the past half century, the stability of demographic indicators in Dagestan is ensured by rural enclaves in the lowlands. The definition of "monetization" of ethnographic tourism is given as the formation of a sustainable communication system between rural enclaves, their representations in cities, travel agencies and the expert community. The fact that the deployment of a network of historical and cultural routes and ecological paths in ethnic territories should be preceded by field ethnographic studies is highlighted. The importance of information support of ethnographic tourism, coordination of interests of rural self-government bodies, regional authorities, agribusiness, and local population is noted. These provisions and approaches to the development and information management of the development of ethnographic tourism in Dagestan are illustrated by the example of a small touristic project “Archi”.