The purpose of the study is to determine the vector of rural tourism development in the Rostov region. The leading research methods are the method of analysis of regulatory legal documents, analytical, scientific and other materials, analysis and generalisation of the obtained research results. In the research process, the authors define the role of rural tourism in the tourism development process in the Rostov region, determine the problems and prospects of rural tourism development, and offer recommendations for its development in the interests of the local community of the territory. The obtained results show the presence of tourism potential for the development of species diversity, including unique subspecies of rural tourism in the Rostov region. The materials of the article have scientific and practical significance, as they can be used by all stakeholders, both in further research in the field of rural tourism, and in tourism master-planning, as well as in the formation of tourist offer and attractiveness of rural areas of the region.