The tourism industry in the world and in Georgia takes larger scales and is characterized by its growing and dynamic development. Tourism potential in the protected areas is of high importance, it is the most essential national heritage, original natural and cultural environment, unique ecosystems, their protection, maintenance, use and development needs to be studied and explored. The main goal of the paper is to study and explore the perspective of the mass tourism in the protected areas and the conformity of financially lucrative economic development projects and their influence on the biodiversity of the protected areas. The statistical data of the tourism growth in protected areas, financial income, infrastructure and data of economic development projects were analyzed, as well as the results of sociological research, conducted by our team. Analysis and research have revealed some disharmony and non-compatibility. Although tourism in protected areas has a great export potential, it may damage protected areas and its biodiversity Also, financially lucrative economic development projects that are vital for the country`s development tighten and make problems for the biological and landscape diversity of the protected areas; it also hampers ecological security and protection of natural heritage.
Keywords: Development projects, Financial result, Mass tourism, Protected areas.
