The recreational potential of the North-Eastern Caucasus as a combination of natural, cultural, historical and socio-economic resources was investigated. Favorable natural and climatic, ecological and geomorphological, geological and cultural and historical prerequisites for the development of recreation and tourism have been identified. The recreational role of biological resources (forests, herbaceous plants, etc.) and hydrological objects (rivers, lakes, springs, waterfalls, etc.), including healing mineral springs, is great. In the North-Eastern Caucasus, almost all balneological groups of mineral waters are found. The regional specifics of recreational activities were investigated as a result of the interaction of many factors and conditions (natural, social, geopolitical, geoecological). The possibilities and the need to expand the existing sanatorium and resort base are justified both to meet internal needs and to attract nonresident vacationers. Promising areas of tourism include: rural, ethnographic, gastronomic, medical and health, extreme, medical, speleoturism, etc. A combination of traditional and innovative (phototourism, scientific tourism, ecotourism) forms of recreation and tourism is proposed. Among the most important factors in the development of the tourist and recreational sphere is the awakening of interest among the local population in new forms of activity promising for them.