The article is devoted to the development of a concept for the development of small towns, through the formation of recreational areas in the nearest protected areas. The purpose of this study is to identify the main problems of small towns in Russia and develop proposals for their solution. Ecotourism today is an important investment direction in the context of the formation of import substitution in the tourism services market. The development of this direction allows the use of nature conservation areas and small towns. The practical significance of the study lies in solving the problem of the low level of development of ecological tourism in Russia, in particular in the territories of protected areas. The study proves that the proposed scheme for the formation of a recreational area based on protected areas will allow parallel development of the territories of small towns. Also, the significance lies in drawing attention to this type of replenishment of the regional and municipal budget.