Tourism as a factor in human development
© Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories RAS, 2010
© Tourism Committee of the Vologda Region, 2010
© Branch of the St. Petersburg State Engineering and Economic University in Vologda, 2010
All rights reserved. No part of the electronic version of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet or corporate networks, for private or public use without the written permission of the copyright owner.
Appeal to readers
The most important part of the national wealth of many countries in the modern world is human potential. In the age of globalization and innovation economy it allows you to achieve complex, ambitious goals by acting outside the box and using modern forms of mobility.
Tourism contributes to the development of personality, its creative capabilities and human potential in general. Being one of the most popular types of recreation, it ensures the satisfaction of the social and spiritual needs of the population, expanding the horizons of knowledge.
Russia has enormous opportunities to attract tourists due to its diverse natural and climatic zones and rich cultural and historical heritage. Russian regions have already accumulated positive experience in tourism development. The most successful cities in promoting their tourism products are Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar Territory, Irkutsk Region, Tver Region, the Republic of Karelia and many others. The brand “Sochi – the summer capital of Russia”, now complemented by an Olympic theme, is being successfully used. The brand “Anapa – All-Russian Children’s Health Resort” is also developing. In event and cultural tourism, the brand “St. Petersburg - the cultural capital of Russia” and the brand “Veliky Ustyug - the birthplace of Father Frost”, which has already become the calling card of the Vologda region, are strengthening.
The project “Veliky Ustyug - the birthplace of Father Frost” embodies the most noble intentions: to introduce the young generation to the origins of spirituality, to reveal the peculiarities of national traditions. The project is based on the idea of uniting national traditions through contact with the image of Father Frost, who personifies goodness, happiness, hope, and faith in the future.
The project is developing quite dynamically. The necessary infrastructure is being created in Veliky Ustyug: hotels, shopping malls, restaurants, cafes, roads are being built. On the territory of Father Frost's Estate is his House; construction of the national amusement park “Twelve Months in the Estate of Father Frost” is underway; “Santa Claus Mail” operates for children. Traditionally under New Year Specialized tourist children's trains from Vologda, Cherepovets, Moscow and St. Petersburg called “Fairytale Journey to Santa Claus” arrive in Veliky Ustyug.
At the same time, the region has the opportunity to promote other attractions through the development of tourism.
The Vologda region is often called the “Northern Thebaid” - an ancient Russian land that glorified Russia with famous monasteries and saints - “the land of white nights and blue lakes.” Many historical places are associated with the names of Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great, the great righteous Kirill Belozersky, Ferapont, Pavel Obnorsky, Ignatius Brianchaninov, writers and poets, including K. Batyushkov, V. Gilyarovsky, I. Severyanin, N. Rubtsov. The nature of the Vologda land is pure and life-giving. Our region is rich in rivers, lakes, and specially protected areas such as the Darwin State Nature Reserve and the Russian North National Park. The uniqueness of the region lies in the wide variety of native Vologda folk crafts: “Northern mob”, “Shemogod birch bark carving”, “Frost on tin”, “Vologda lace”, “Velikoustyug enamel”. A number of settlements in the region (Vologda, Belozersk, Kirillov, Ferapontovo, Totma, Ustyuzhna) have highly artistic urban ensembles and complexes.
It is tourism that makes it possible to cultivate in the younger generation a love for their native land, an attachment to their small and large Motherland, to introduce them to the surrounding world, local historical, cultural, national, geographical, climatic and other features, thereby contributing to the development of human potential.
Let me note that the Vologda region is no exception. As the conference showed, there are opportunities for tourism development in other Russian regions. At the forum, it was possible to discuss a number of new approaches, forms and methods of stimulating this sector of the economy, identify growth reserves and problems hindering its development, identify the tasks of activity in this area, and prove that tourism is one of the factors in increasing human potential. I believe that the conclusions formulated after the round table discussions will in the future give the region’s tourism industry a new impetus.
V.A. Ilyin
Director of ISEDT RAS
Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation
Doctor of Economics, Professor
Preface
On April 16 – 18, 2009, the Russian scientific and practical conference “Tourism as a factor of sustainable socio-economic development and growth of human potential” was held in Vologda. The conference was dedicated to finding ways of development in the regions inbound tourism, substantiation of the possibilities of transforming tourism into one of the factors of sustainable socio-economic development of territories and creating conditions for the growth of human potential.
The conference was organized by the Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Committee for Tourism of the Vologda Region and the branch of the St. Petersburg State Engineering and Economic University in Vologda. The co-chairs of the conference were the Director of ISEDT RAS, Doctor of Economics, Prof. V.A. Ilyin, Chairman of the Tourism Committee of the Vologda Region Yu.N. Plekhanov.
The conference was attended by scientists from the Russian Academy of Sciences (Sochi Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Socio-Economic Problems and Energy Problems of the North of the Komi Scientific Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of the Russian Academy of Sciences), the International Academy of Tourism, the National Academy of Tourism, representatives of tourism management of the Arkhangelsk, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Leningrad regions, the Republic of Karelia, representatives of municipalities of the Vologda region supervising the tourism sector, employees of the St. Petersburg University of Engineering and Economics and its branch in Vologda, the Baltic Academy of Tourism and Entrepreneurship, the Pskov branch of the Russian International Academy of Tourism, teachers and students of Vologda State Technical University, Cherepovets State University, Vologda State Dairy Academy named after. N.V. Vereshchagina, managers and specialists of tourism enterprises.
The conference was organized with the support of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal agency on tourism Russian Federation, Association "North-West".
The conference included plenary and sectional sessions.
More than 230 people took part in the plenary session, and 10 people made presentations.
The meeting was opened by the director of the Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Economics, Professor, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation V.A. Ilyin. He greeted the conference participants, noted the relevance of holding the forum in a difficult period for Russia, and wished everyone successful fruitful work.
The head of the Federal Tourism Agency of the Russian Federation, A.I., also addressed the audience with a welcoming speech. Yarochkin and First Deputy Governor of the Vologda Region N.L. Vinogradov, who touched upon the topic of state support for tourism in the region. In particular, he noted that in 2008 the law “On Tourism and tourism industry on the territory of the Vologda region”, long-term target program “Development of domestic and inbound tourism in the Vologda region for 2009–2012”, aimed at stimulating inbound tourism and increasing its contribution to the economy of the region.
Yu.N. Plekhanov, Chairman of the Tourism Committee of the Vologda Region, assessed the level of tourism development in the region and its impact on socio-economic processes.
His colleague from Yaroslavl is the chairman of the Tourism Committee of the Industry Department, entrepreneurial activity and transport of the Administration of the Yaroslavl region G.V. Krokhmal spoke about monitoring, assessment and forecasting of income and receipts from tourism to the regional budget.
In the speech of Yu.N. Plekhanov gave a description of the current economic situation in the region, voiced the main problems and prospects for the development of inbound tourism. It was noted that as a result of cooperation between ISEDT RAS and the Regional Tourism Committee, a joint monograph “Strategy for the Development of Tourism in the Vologda Region” was published, which was based on scientific research in the field of tourism.
The book publishes some materials from the scientific and practical conference “Tourism as a factor in sustainable socio-economic development and growth of human potential”, held on April 16–18, 2009 in Vologda. The conference was dedicated to discussing the current state and prospects for the development of the tourism industry in Russia. Particular attention was paid to the regional aspect of the problem. Published speeches touch upon socio-economic aspects of tourism development; experience in implementing tourism projects at the regional and municipal levels and modern methods management of tourism development. The texts of the speeches are given in the author's edition.
* * *
The given introductory fragment of the book Tourism as a factor in human development (Collection of articles, 2010) provided by our book partner - the company liters.
Plenary session
S.A. Bogolyubova
Sustainable development of tourism and assessment of its effectiveness
In the context of the formation of a market economy, the development of globalization processes and Russia’s desire to integrate into the world economic space, the development of tourism as the most profitable sector of the world economy was declared a priority at the state level. This, first of all, was facilitated by the presence of natural, in-demand tourist resources, which are used no more than 10–15%. The unique natural resource potential and rich cultural heritage should ensure sustainable growth in employment and income of the population and regional budgets, stimulating the development of tourism-related industries, serving as an impetus for the formation of a sustainable influx of investment. In this regard, today there are active discussions on the issues of sustainable development of tourism and the role of investment in this development. However, there is no general approach and fundamental assessment of the situation in this area that would satisfy all interested parties. The reasons, in our opinion, are that, firstly, different researchers have different understandings of sustainable tourism development; secondly, the role of investment is reduced to the construction of the most capital-intensive facilities serving tourists - hotels; thirdly, the tourism sector is often presented as a simple set of objects that directly serve tourists. If scientists and practitioners have no significant differences of opinion regarding the third position, then the first and second positions require deeper consideration and understanding. More detailed classification the main problems of sustainable tourism development are reflected in Figure 1.
Let us note that without solving problems of a theoretical and methodological nature, it is objectively impossible to solve problems at the level of managing the sustainable development of tourism.
Figure 1. Systematization of problems of sustainable tourism development
Taking into account the various interpretations of the concept of sustainability, emphasizing the complexity of the analyzed phenomenon, we will give our understanding. From our point of view, sustainable development of tourism should be understood as a process taking place in the territorial environment, aimed at achieving dynamically changing tourism goals, which are determined by tourists themselves, in conditions of rational use of limited resources.
Currently, the model of sustainable development still exists only at the conceptual and theoretical level and represents a worldview and political declarations. Forming a strategy for sustainable development, both at the global and at the national or local level, is a complex process, since the strategic goals of changing the course to limit the use of natural resources, the priority and imperative of environmental requirements in the life of society come into conflict with the policies, tactics and specific behavior of power structures, which in some cases place current interests or benefits above strategic ones.
For example, attention is drawn to the fact that regions with a high level of socio-economic development can have both large and small tourist flows (table). The main reason is the difference between the goals of the region (increasing the living standards of the population through economic development) and tourism (restoration and development of human spiritual and physical strength).
From the data presented in the table it can be seen that the maximum income from tourism development per 1 resident falls on the Vladimir, Tver and Leningrad regions (853.02 rubles, 679.81 rubles and 660.07 rubles, respectively), the minimum – on Yaroslavl (51.54 rubles) and Ivanovo regions (0.55 rubles). Moreover, tourism is developing more effectively in the Vladimir and Tver regions: here for 1 ruble invested budget funds accounts for 4066 and 1000 rubles. income accordingly. The lowest level of tourism development among the regions under consideration is observed in the Ivanovo region, where 1 ruble of invested budget funds accounts for 0.43 rubles. income. At the same time, a high indicator of gross regional product in a region does not mean that there are large tourist flows in it (see, for example, data for the Vladimir and Yaroslavl regions).
Main economic and tourist development indicators of some regions of Russia
At the same time, these regions today also account for a large flow of tourists (the largest are in the Vladimir and Leningrad regions), and if the world average for 1 resident is 0.1 arrivals, then in all analyzed regions the value of this indicator ranges from 0.49 (Kostroma region) to 1.22 (Vladimir region), which indicates a colossal burden on residents of the regions. However, these data do not correlate with the indicators of the number of arrivals per 1 place in accommodation facilities (maximum indicators in Vladimir and Ivanovo regions), which indicates varying degrees of intensity of use of accommodation facilities. Therefore, it is quite difficult to talk about sustainable development of tourism, which implies not only moderate loads on the territory and tourism facilities, but also care for the local population.
Formation regional programs sustainable development of tourist regions differs significantly from traditional approaches to planning, since the final product of tourism activity is a tourism product that is produced by enterprises various industries and is complex in nature. In fact, this is a “multi-industry product”, and its quality depends on the system of interaction between enterprises in individual industries that have different departmental subordination, management features, the specifics of the technologies used, etc.
The tourism product is formed at the intersection of various industries, therefore, when forming regional programs for the sustainable development of the economy of tourist-oriented regions, the main emphasis should be on the regional aspect, that is, consider a specific region as an independent territorial economic complex, and tourism in it separately, observing the necessary social economic proportions and taking into account the specifics of the region. For example, it is impossible to develop a unified approach to the formation of a development program for all tourist destinations on the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory with a sanatorium-resort orientation, although they all have some common features and features. However, the resorts of Sochi and the group of Anapa and Gelendzhik resorts have significant differences, primarily in recreational capacity, resort specialization, quality and quantity of tourist and recreational resources, in the existing management system of recreational and resort management, etc. All this requires the development of special development programs on a single methodological and conceptual basis that ensures the systemic unity of three components: environmental, economic and sociocultural (Fig. 2).
Achieving sustainable tourism development contributes to providing a system of benefits and advantages for both consumers tourist services, and for the local population. These benefits are as follows:
Improving the quality of life of the local population, which is determined by a combination of indicators such as increasing the level of well-being, improving social living conditions in the area;
Strengthening the intellectual significance of the cultural and historical heritage, which makes it more attractive to tourists;
Figure 2. Trinity of goals for sustainable tourism development
Concern for maintaining a satisfactory quality of the environment;
Formation of a fair economic mechanism for the distribution of income and costs among all sectors of the economy involved in serving tourists;
Replenishment of the local budget, since the development of tourism contributes to the creation of new jobs and enterprises both within the industry itself and in related industries;
Ensuring an influx of investment into the regional economy, including construction, agriculture, etc.;
Development of local self-government and involvement of the local population in the development and adoption of management decisions in the field of tourism development;
Development of local demand for tourism services and opening access to recreational facilities for the local population, especially during the low season;
Support and development of a network of specially protected natural areas, protection of rare species and ecosystems;
Creation of new objects of tourist attraction and more.
The undoubted advantage of the sustainable tourism development model is the ability to create an effective management system that will allow control over the process of tourism development in the region and analyze its indicators, develop reliable methods for monitoring the state of the environment and eliminating any negative consequences. Scientists and specialists, government structures, consumers of tourism services, local population. The entire process of forming a strategy for the development of tourist regions can be summarized, in our opinion, in the following stages:
Diagnostics, research of economic, environmental and social factors influencing the sustainability of tourism development;
Modeling options for possible events, creating scenarios;
Widespread public debate, as well as discussion possible options at various levels of government with the involvement of qualified experts;
Selecting a scenario according to which a strategy for the sustainable development of a tourist region will be formed (strategic plan, development program);
Organization of the strategy implementation process, monitoring and control.
This approach will make it possible to coordinate the interests of all stakeholder groups involved in the strategy development process, which will ensure the development of the most balanced and effective decisions.
It is obvious that sustainable development of tourism requires money and investment. Since tourism belongs to the category of the most market-advanced industries, the sources of investment are tourists and their funds. Bank loans, loans and other borrowings allow you to quickly respond to the demands of structural changes in the tourism sector and only subsequently repay debts at the expense of tourists (not the state, regional and local budgets!). And the more fully the needs of tourists for recreation and service are taken into account in projects, the greater the tourist flows will be, the faster the investment will pay off. At the same time, the role of state and local authorities comes down primarily to improving lawmaking in this area and creating equal business conditions for all interested parties. In some cases, certain benefits and preferences for tourism activities in the regions are possible. Let us note the particularly important role of the authorities - this is the coordination of the activities of all stakeholders in the development of tourism, which will lead to the emergence of a multiplier effect. The question of the amount of investment cannot be reduced to the formula: “the more, the better.” The following considerations must be taken into account when calculating the required investment. Firstly, in conditions of limited financial resources investments should be directed to objects that are in high demand among tourists and quickly pay off. Secondly, investments must be directed towards innovation, otherwise there will be a loss of value. Thirdly, investments must ensure the expanded reproduction of fixed assets of tourism in their interrelation and interdependence. Thus, building additional hotels (tourist accommodation) is not economically feasible if a decline in tourist flows to the region is expected due to better conditions tourist holidays from competitors. The systematic approach here is that a partial improvement in the performance of just one tourist facility will not lead to an increase in tourist flows if the performance of other facilities does not improve and may worsen. At the same time, expanded reproduction means an improvement in the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of tourism objects. The tourist must also reproduce through the development of his cultural, intellectual level, the development of needs for a broader and deeper knowledge of the world.
To summarize the above, we can state that sustainable development of tourism, in essence, is an investment process of expanded reproduction of the entire tourism infrastructure, and primarily attractors (objects of attraction for tourists and the purpose of their trips), aimed at meeting the growing and dynamically changing needs of tourists, which will ultimately make it possible to obtain higher income from tourism based on the rational use of resources and trigger a return on investment mechanism.
Sustainable development of tourism, as the analysis showed, will become possible if errors in program documents are eliminated by implementing a number of priority measures:
1. In the programs, marketing activities are mainly reduced to advertising and exhibition activities designed for the average tourist. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the marketing component, namely: a more complete analysis of the needs of tourists should be carried out across all segments (age, gender, level of education, social affiliation, nationality, financial opportunities etc.), which will enhance the targeting of advertising and, consequently, its effectiveness.
2. Prescribe more clearly the mechanism for stimulating investment activity. Simply put, it is necessary to determine and reflect in the program who will be stimulated, for what and in what way.
3. Along with the most important indicators of tourism development (number of tourists visiting the region, arrival tax payments, the number of tourism firms, the number of actually operating accommodation facilities, the number of jobs in tourism firms and accommodation facilities) it is necessary to use other quantitative and qualitative indicators of industry development (for example, the degree of satisfaction of the needs of tourists, the carrying capacity of the territory and tourism facilities, the degree of use of tourism infrastructure, efficiency of use of budget funds and others), which will allow assessing the effectiveness of management decisions on sustainable development of tourism.
4. In programs, attractors are reflected as given quantities. At the same time, the mechanism for identifying, maintaining and developing attractors located in the region, as an important condition for the sustainable development of tourism in the region, and attracting more and more tourists to the region, was not reflected.
5. The sustainable development of tourism will be facilitated by the widespread involvement of the local population, public and scientific organizations, entrepreneurs and other interested parties in solving problems on a mutually beneficial basis.
VC. Egorov
Tourism phenomenon
Attention to tourism as a specific type of socio-economic activity has been growing rapidly in recent decades both in a single country and throughout the world. Of the many reasons and prerequisites for this, I would like to emphasize the main thing: tourism is one of those types of human activity that most fully corresponds to one of the basic principles of the globalization process - the free movement of large masses of people. It is the movement of people in space, travel (from the French tourisme) that is the generic sign of tourism.
It should also be noted that the process of globalization, which gained speed with the development of means of communication throughout human history, acquired its scale and intensity in the second half of the 20th century. The organizational and legal formalization of this process took place, as is known, in 1994, when the World trade Organization– WTO, whose activities are primarily in economic sphere, has fully extended to the tourism sector.
After the breakup Soviet Union during the period of radical socio-political and economic changes in our country, expressed, in particular, in the landslide liberalization of everything and everyone, the space for the free movement of people in the world has increased significantly.
The opening of the country to the world, which was one of the positive consequences Russian transformations, allowed many compatriots to travel abroad. The goals were different: study, work, trade, family affairs and, of course, the eternal desire for knowledge. Unlike previous times, the ability to travel was determined mainly by the availability of appropriate financial resources and foreign passports. Russia was not one of the founding countries of the WTO (and is not a member of this organization to this day), but due to its objective nature, globalization processes, including in the tourism sector, have spread to it. In this area, as well as in the economy as a whole, our country at the end of the 20th century confidently occupied a place on the far periphery. Accumulated in Soviet period The tourism potential of our country, which was good for its time and had specific features, turned out to be almost completely lost.
The task of reviving the country, gaining the status of a world power, and returning the potential necessary for its sustainable and safe development involves “picking up stones” not only in the economic sphere. The question of the moral, psychological and physical health of the nation, its consolidation on the basis of traditional values, scientific understanding of all the features of the current state of both society as a whole and individual sectors of social activity is acute.
Among a number of industries that are important and potentially productive for solving the problems mentioned above, tourism has rightfully taken its place. Experts from the Academy of Tourism, created in St. Petersburg in 1994, analyzing the situation in this industry in the early 90s of the last century, noted that “tourism is one of the largest, highly profitable and most dynamic sectors of the world economy. The tourism sector accounts for about 6% of the world's gross national product (GNP), 7% of global investment, every 16th job, 11% of global consumer spending, 5% of all tax revenues." They admitted with regret that Russia, with its colossal tourism potential, occupies a more than modest place in the world. tourist market, having less than 1% of the world tourist flow (Proceedings of the Academy of Tourism. - Issue 1. - St. Petersburg, 1995).
The economic aspect of the problem of tourism development in Russia was and remains the most important when considering it, but, as noted above, not the only one. There is a very difficult problem of its comprehensive scientific development, arising from the very nature of this phenomenon. This is confirmed already during the first attempts to form a conceptual apparatus. For example, to reach agreement among researchers on the question: what is tourism? It is known that frequent use of a concept can give rise to the illusion of adequacy and universality. But it is also known that logical operations with vague definitions can lead to false conclusions and predictions. The outstanding philosopher and mathematician Rene Descartes said: “Clarify the meaning of words, and you will save humanity from half of the misconceptions.”
Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language D.N. Ushakova defines: “Tourism is a type of sport-travel in which entertainment and recreation are combined with general educational purposes.” The definitions of tourism in the Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language by S.I. differ slightly from each other. Ozhegov and N.Yu. Shvedova, in the Big Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language 1998 and the New Dictionary of Foreign Words 2003. UNESCO definition of 1954: “Tourism is an active recreation that affects the promotion of health, physical development of a person, associated with movement outside the permanent place of residence.” The World Conference of the World Tourism Organization (WTO) proposed a different option: “Tourism is one of the types of active recreation, which is travel made with the aim of exploring certain areas, new countries and combined in a number of countries with elements of sports.”
There are many definitions, as always when we are dealing with various phenomena in social life, and especially with the social sciences, and only comparative analysis their semantic content allows you to choose the most adequate one. This is the definition of tourism contained in the Federal Law of the Russian Federation “On the Fundamentals of Tourism Activities in the Russian Federation” dated October 4, 1996: “Tourism is temporary trips (travels) of citizens of the Russian Federation, foreign citizens and stateless persons from their permanent place of residence to recreational, educational, professional, business, sports, religious and other purposes without engaging in paid activities in the country (place) of temporary stay.” This almost canonical definition could only be slightly supplemented by inserting “voluntary” after the word “temporary”.
Because the this definition refers to an individual or group of individuals who realize their various needs through travel, and does not reflect the activities of those individuals and institutions that make it possible to realize the needs of a traveler-tourist, then it should be considered to reveal only one aspect of the tourism phenomenon. To ensure, if possible, complete legal correctness, the law contains a number of related definitions, such as tourism activities, tourism industry, tourism product, promotion of tourism product. Even this short list confirms the previously stated thesis, at least, about the dual nature of tourism. On the one hand, these are, as a rule, costly actions that correspond to the individual aspirations and desires of the main subject of tourism relations - the tourist himself. And on the other hand, there is a systemic, economically determined activity of specialized production structures that ensures the actions of the tourist.
Economic, legal and organizational aspects tourism represent its basis, on which rests many other aspects that dynamically change with the time and place of existence of this phenomenon and without which it is impossible to comprehend it.
There are two main points of view on the origin of the phenomenon under consideration.
According to one of them, tourism arose simultaneously with the first movements of people in space, with travel - regardless of what goals these movements pursued. From the psychological side, the defining feature of tourism was recognized as freedom of will and choice, even if it was small. From this point of view, trips for educational purposes, for treatment and recreation, for visiting sacred places, and pilgrimages that were very common in the Middle Ages, should be recognized as tourist trips.
The second point of view is based largely on features related to basic aspects, that is, expressed primarily in the legal and economic sense. We are talking about creating legal conditions and economic prerequisites in the form of guarantees of freedom of movement, including abroad, the emergence of improved modes of transport and developed transport infrastructure, about the industry of services for itinerants and travelers. And also the availability of free capital for those who wish to engage in such a non-profitable, unprofitable business as travel. These and other circumstances ultimately created the possibility of movements of people that were not determined solely by the tasks of their simple survival (as, for example, during nomadism or in primitive trade). Chronologically in Europe, this state of society falls on the period after the bourgeois revolutions.
Combining these two points of view, we can believe with a high degree of confidence that tourism originated there and then, where and when society in its development reached such a level of provision with material goods, at which a certain excess of time and money was created, allowing a person to satisfy his higher needs order than the above-mentioned need for simple physical survival. The needs of self-knowledge based on comparison of the living conditions of other people, enriching oneself with the experience of their lives, expanding knowledge about the world around us have become necessary for realizing oneself as a reasonable person.
In Russia, where for many centuries even the upper class could not travel without the permission and control of the supreme power, the emergence of tourism took place later. Freedom to travel was received by representatives of this class only after the adoption in 1762 by Peter III of the Manifesto on the freedom of the nobility, according to which the nobles received right travel abroad freely, but at the request of the government they had to return to Russia. Despite the liberties granted, free travel in Russia in the 18th century did not acquire a mass character. Wars in Europe, the Caucasus, the Crimea, the extremely complex process of developing acquired territories, serfdom in its harshest form, the inertia of a subservient national psychology and much more slowed down the process of free movement not only outside Russia, but also within its territory.
The second quarter of the 19th century, a period of relative stability in Russia, became a time of active movements of Russians to Europe, to the East, to holy places, to the south of Russia, where in the area of the Caucasian mineral waters, the recreational and health services sector began to rapidly develop, most directly related to satisfying the cognitive needs of travelers. Traveling during treatment and rest was both a kind of fashion and a way to satisfy cognitive and spiritual needs. All this was not tourism in its current understanding, but, nevertheless, contained all the signs of the future tourism industry, which were in the stage of initial development. It was then that the predominant orientation toward educational, intellectual tourism, coupled with sports and health tourism, was laid down, which was preserved in the pre-revolutionary period, actively supported in Soviet times, and is now being revived. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian scientist and excursionist M.I. Greves wrote: “The motivations for travel were numerous, the results achieved by travel were great, the pleasures achieved by them were enormous, they rose to the level of the strongest spiritual joys of life.”
Modern domestic researchers of the problem of tourism, along with a high assessment of it as an economic category, rightly consider it an extremely important phenomenon in the field of national psychology and culture. In the mid-90s of the last century, Vice-President of the Academy of Tourism, Doctor of Economics. I.D. Afanasenko wrote that “tourism is interpreted as a special type of interpersonal activity, which, in the conditions of internationalization of life, has become: a form of using free time, a means of interpersonal connections in the process of political, economic and cultural contacts, and one of the factors determining the quality of life” (Proceedings Academy of Tourism. – Issue 1. – St. Petersburg, 1995). He also noted that tourism, performing the functions of bringing together different social systems based on different cultures of peoples who perceive the world and universal human values differently, is at the same time an area of profitable investment of capital.
The above features significantly influence the perception of tourism as one of the sectors of the economy, one of the spheres of market relations. First of all, this concerns the products of this industry, which are divided into three main categories.
First– these are products produced within the industry itself and primarily consumed there (services, related products, souvenirs, etc.). Second– tourist products that are not products of human labor: mountains, reservoirs, springs, air, etc. Third– not having commodity form cultural and historical heritage: architectural and engineering structures, artificial landscapes, museums and museum-reserves, etc.
If the production of tourism products of the first category is fully regulated by the laws of the market, then the consumption of tourism products of the second and third categories requires special public regulation, in which market principles can only be partially used. The decisive factor is that consumer resources of the third category are irreplaceable, and resources of the second category, if consumed inappropriately, can lose their consumer attractiveness. These circumstances most directly and objectively introduce into the sphere of tourism activities the solution of problems both in maintaining and preserving the habitat, nature, and in preserving cultural and historical heritage.
The solution to these problems goes far beyond the framework of economic rationalism and, while maintaining tourism as economic category, imparts to him at the same time the signs of a moral, worldview category. A careful, sensitive attitude towards nature, concern for maintaining the necessary conditions for the existence of all types of fauna and flora allows a person to improve spiritually, feel in harmony with the world around him and with himself, and be conscious of the level of consumption of natural resources.
Monuments of history and culture, materialized in the form of temples, palaces and other architectural and engineering structures, ancient settlements and necropolises, sacred places, etc., represent the most attractive objects in intellectual tourism. And yet they cannot be called simply a tourist product. The presence of these monuments, the opportunity to see them, to comprehend their role in the history and culture of the country leaves the attentive and thoughtful traveler with a feeling of involvement in the history of his big and small Motherland. Without this, it is impossible to understand the continuity of social, spiritual development of the entire people and the “independence” of the individual. Traveling around your country with an inquisitive attitude towards monuments and phenomena of history and culture makes it possible to physically feel the unity of the country, its diversity and harmony, and brings the center and regions closer together. Awareness of this strengthens pride in one’s country, self-esteem and confidence, and allows one to feel oneself a full-fledged and full-fledged part of humanity when meeting other countries and peoples.
Researchers of the problems of modern domestic tourism note that currently in Russia there is an imbalance between outbound and domestic tourism. On the one hand, this is a consequence of the rather late opening of the country to the world and the unquenched desire for previously inaccessible discoveries outside our country. On the other hand, the still low level of development of the domestic tourism industry, and especially the service sector, does not allow attracting a significant number of tourists to domestic routes. Still, there is reason to hope that these are temporary difficulties, if only because Russia is one of the few countries in the world where there are conditions for development everyone practically existing and still emerging types of tourism.
As one of the self-sufficient states, Russia will never become a predominantly tourist country, but tourism as a specific sphere of social activity that is complex in its structure and tasks has remarkable prospects for its development.
Yu.N. Plekhanov
Tourism as a factor in the socio-economic development of the Vologda region and improving the quality of life
The Vologda region is, first of all, a unique historical and cultural heritage in its richness and diversity.
Under state security in the region there are 761 immovable historical and cultural monuments, including 218 objects of federal significance; at the end of 2000, the ensemble of the Ferapontov Monastery with paintings by Dionysius was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List; 11 settlements of the Vologda region are included in the List of historical cities and populated places of Russia (Vologda, Veliky Ustyug, Belozersk, Kirillov, Totma, Vytegra, Gryazovets, Nikolsk, Ustyuzhna, Cherepovets and the village of Ferapontovo). The Vologda region is home to original traditional crafts, it is the territory of traditional crafts, trades and productions - northern niello, Shemogod birch bark carving, Vologda lace, Veliky Ustyug patterns, environmentally friendly food products, the Vologda oil brand.
The Expert-RA rating agency annually conducts research into Russian regions based on several criteria, including tourism potential. According to research, based on the results of 2008, the Vologda region ranks 11th in terms of tourism potential.
Statistical data for 2008 indicate positive dynamics of tourist flows to the Vologda region. Thus, the number of travel participants, amounting to 1 million 332 thousand visitors, increased by 14.4% compared to 2007, and by 27% compared to 2005. (Fig. 1).
Figure 1. Dynamics of incoming tourist flow to the Vologda region (thousand visitors)
The leading cities in the structure of the tourist flow are: the cities of Vologda and Cherepovets, Kirillovsky, Veliky Ustyugsky, Sheksninsky, Belozersky and Vytegorsky districts (Table 1).
According to a preliminary assessment carried out by the research and design institute for spatial planning "ENKO" (St. Petersburg), the potential tourist capacity of the Vologda region is more than 3.5 million visitors per year, i.e. the current level of its use is 30% from possible.
As one of the most dynamic and highly profitable industries, tourism contributes to the region's economy. In 2008, tourism income, taking into account the multiplier effect, is estimated at 6 billion rubles (direct income from tourism - 3.055 billion rubles; indirect income - 2.905 billion rubles), which is more than 3% in the structure of the gross regional product.
Table 1
Leading cities and districts of the Vologda region
With the aim of comprehensive and systematic development of the tourism industry in the Vologda region, in 2008 the following were adopted:
– Law of the region “On tourism and the tourism industry in the Vologda region” dated October 23, 2008 No. 1891-OZ;
– “Strategy for the development of the tourism sector until 2020” (Region of the Regional Government dated August 11, 2008 No. 1547);
– long-term target program “Development of domestic and inbound tourism in the Vologda region for 2009–2012” (Region of the Regional Government of 09.09.2008 No. 1726).
In accordance with the Strategy for the development of the tourism sector in the Vologda region, three “development corridors” of recreational business and various types tourism:
Western corridor (Kirillov – Belozersk – Lipin Bor – Vytegra) – tourist destination “Beloozero”, developing active tourism zone “Onego”.
Eastern corridor (Totma - Nyuksenitsa - Veliky Ustyug) - project "Veliky Ustyug - the birthplace of Father Frost."
Northern corridor (Vokhtoga – Gryazovets – Vologda – Sokol – Kharovsk – Vozhega) – “Molochnaya Sloboda” (Gryazovets district), “Vologda – the lace capital”.
Growth poles: « Nyuksenitsa - treasury folk traditions"; “Ustyuzhna – the city of blacksmiths”; "Honey Tarnoga"; “Sizma is an original corner of the Vologda region.”
Since 2004, the regional target program “Veliky Ustyug - the birthplace of Father Frost” has been implemented for 2004–2006 and 2007–2010.
In general, for the period 1998–2008. More than 1.5 billion rubles from various sources of financing were invested in the development of the project “Veliky Ustyug - the birthplace of Father Frost” (Fig. 2).
Figure 2. Structure of funding sources for the project “Veliky Ustyug - the birthplace of Father Frost”, million rubles
Project results for the period 1998–2008:
> distribution of the Father Frost brand; recognition of the project in Russia and abroad;
> formation of a tourist flow of about 190 thousand people per year; transformation of Veliky Ustyug into a center of international tourism;
> creation of the initial tourism infrastructure of the project (1.5 billion rubles were invested in the project);
> development of the economic component of the project (direct effect from tourism - 463.5 million rubles, integral cumulative effect - 927 million rubles);
> creation of an investment environment (the share of private investment in the project is 30%);
> involvement of the local population in the project (more than 7% of the tourism sector employs total number occupied area);
> tax revenues from the project constitute about 10% of the district budget’s own revenues.
The main tasks for the implementation of the project “Veliky Ustyug - the birthplace of Father Frost”:
> development of Veliky Ustyug as a large year-round tourist center (off-season tourist flow);
> development of the segment of children's tourism and family multi-day recreation;
> enhancing the image of Veliky Ustyug as a hospitable city.
Main construction objects:
– reconstruction of the airport in Veliky Ustyug;
– cultural center “Palace of Father Frost”;
– ice palace “Visiting a fairy tale”;
– housing for project specialists and service sector workers.
In the future it is planned:
Implementation of the project “Veliky Ustyug - the children's capital of Russia”;
Promoting the image of the Russian Father Frost as a national brand and symbol of the Sochi 2014 Olympics.
Resolution of the Regional Government dated 09.09.2008 No. 1726 approved the long-term target program “Development of domestic and inbound tourism in the Vologda region for 2009–2012” (hereinafter referred to as the Program) with a total funding of 209.6 million rubles, of which 198.6 million rubles - funds from the regional budget and 11.0 million rubles - funds from the budgets of municipalities of the region.
This Program provides support for the projects “Tourist destination “Beloozero” and “Developing zone of active tourism “Onego”,” which are identified in the Strategy for the development of the tourism sector of the region as the most promising.
Tourist destination "Beloozero" is located within the boundaries of the Kirillovsky, Belozersky and Vashkinsky municipal districts. The territory is an attractive niche in the tourism services market and has opportunities for the development of many types of tourism: active, cultural and educational, event, pilgrimage and new interactive competitive tourism projects - “The Prince’s Court” and “Lipin Bor - the Kingdom of the Golden Fish”.
Currently the following operate in the districts:
♦ 14 tourism enterprises;
♦ 20 accommodation facilities;
♦ 15 rural private houses;
♦
In 2008, 350.3 thousand visitors were received in the Beloozero destination areas, which is 40.82 thousand more (+13.2%) compared to the 2007 level (Table 2). The potential tourist capacity of the Beloozero destination was 670 thousand visitors. Currently this figure is 52%.
It is planned to allocate 9 million rubles from the regional budget for the development of the Beloozero tourist destination. The estimated volume of private investment will be more than 850 million rubles (Table 3).
Developing active tourism zone "Onego", located in the Vytegorsky district of the Vologda region, on the coast of Lake Onega, involves the development active species tourism, special fishing tours, as well as the implementation of programs for the patriotic education of youth on the basis of the museum complex “Sea Glory of the Vologda Region” and the new tourist project “Vytegoria - the abode of Father Onego”.
table 2
Tourist flow in the areas of the Beloozero destination, thousand visitors
Table 3
Sources and amounts of financing for the Program’s activities aimed at developing the tourist destination “Beloozero”
Currently there are:
♦ 2 tourism enterprises;
♦ 2 accommodation facilities;
♦ 5 rural private houses;
♦ 17 catering establishments.
The tourist flow in the Vytegorsky district, which amounted to 42.5 thousand visitors in 2008, increased by 55.7% compared to 2007. The potential tourist capacity of the area was 200 thousand visitors. Currently, this figure is only 23%.
It is planned to allocate 17 million rubles from the regional budget for the development of the Onego active tourism zone. The estimated volume of investment will be more than 260 million rubles (Table 4).
Table 4
Sources and amounts of financing for Program activities aimed at developing the Onego active tourism zone
IN last years There are changes in the value orientation of tourists - from the traditional model of “sea - sun - beach” to the principle of “knowledge - landscape - leisure”. As a result, demand for eco-tourism is growing.
The Vologda region, having sufficient natural resources, can occupy a certain niche in the ecotourism market. Therefore, the Program provides funds from the regional budget in the amount of 3.5 million rubles for the development of specially protected natural areas, natural monuments and springs, as well as ecological and tourist trails and routes.
Arrangement of the following areas:
– “Dudorova Park” in the Verkhovazhsky district;
– “Miracle-working spring” in Vologda region;
– “Old Park” in the village. Danilovskoye, Ustyuzhensky district;
– “Old Park” in the village. Nikolskoye, Ust-Kubinsky district;
– “Old Park” in the village of Pokrovskoye, Gryazovets district;
– “Old Park” in the village. Yunosheskoye, Gryazovets district;
– ecological trail to the watershed of 3 sea basins – “Atleka” of the Vytegorsky district;
– eco-tourist trail “Dyakonovskaya Polyana” in Mezhdurechensky district;
– eco-tourist trail “Opoki – Strelnya” near the villages of Purtovino and Isada, Veliky Ustyug region.
Active tourism has significant development potential in the regions. The expected volume of private investment for its development will amount to more than 150 million rubles, including for the construction of ski slopes and complexes, the purchase of equipment for active types of tourism, and the development of equestrian centers.
In the near future the following will be organized:
Rafting and kayaking on the rivers and lakes of the Vytegorsk region;
Rafting and kayaking on the river. Sukhona in Totemsky and Veliky Ustyug regions;
Ski tourism in Kirillovsky and Gryazovets districts.
2. Scheme of territorial planning of the Vologda region. Regulations on territorial planning. – St. Petersburg: Research and Design Institute of Spatial Planning “ENKO”, 2008.
3. Strategies for the development of tourism in the Vologda region until 2020: Resolution of the Regional Government of August 11, 2008 No. 1547.
4. Development of domestic and inbound tourism in the Vologda region for 2009–2012: Resolution of the Regional Government dated 09.09.2008 No. 1726 “On the long-term target program”.
T.V. Uskova
Problems and prospects for tourism development in the region
Russia's transition to market relations until 1999 was accompanied by crisis phenomena in the economy, and there was a continuous decline in production. Only since the late 1990s has a trend of economic growth emerged and then become sustainable. At the end of 2007, according to international experts, Russia in terms of gross domestic product, calculated on a parity basis purchasing power, entered the seven largest world economies.
The positive processes taking place in the country, as if in a mirror, were reflected at the regional level. Thus, after the 1998 default in the Vologda region, which was one of the regions of the North-Western Federal District of the Russian Federation with an export-oriented economy, sustainable economic growth began.
This is evidenced by the dynamics of the industrial production index - the most important sector of the regional economy. (Fig. 1).
The dynamics of the structure of the gross regional product shows that commodity production sectors create more than 65% of the GRP. At the same time, the contribution of industry to the total gross regional product is about 50% (Fig. 2).
In terms of the volume of shipped products per capita for the period from 2000 to 2007, the Vologda region significantly exceeded the Russian average. At the end of 2007 - more than 2 times.
Figure 1. Dynamics of industrial production,% compared to 1990
Figure 2. Dynamics of volumes of shipped industrial products, thousand rubles. per capita
The positive development of the region’s manufacturing sector contributed to the filling regional budget. For 2000–2007 Budget income per capita increased in the region from 7.4 to 34.8 thousand rubles. This corresponds to the Russian average level (Fig. 3).
The main source of revenue for the regional budget was tax revenue, including the tax on profits of enterprises and organizations, the share of which in budget revenue was constantly increasing and in 2007 amounted to almost 37% (in 2001 - 31%).
Drawing. 3. Dynamics of budgetary provision, thousand rubles per inhabitant
The positive situation in the economy contributed to the growth of incomes and living standards of the region's population. This is evidenced by the dynamics of its structure consumer income: over the period from 2000 to 2007, the share of household expenditures on food in total expenditures decreased significantly (from 49 to 37%) (Fig. 4). In addition, as data from sociological surveys have shown, the proportion of residents of the region experiencing tension, irritation, fear and melancholy has decreased by 2 times (from 45 to 23%).
Figure 4. Structure of consumer spending of the population of the Vologda region, %
During this period, the tourism sector has undergone significant development:
– the flow of tourists in municipalities increased annually, especially in the Kirillovsky and Veliky Ustyug districts, in the cities of Vologda and Cherepovets;
– the industry’s contribution to the regional economy increased; in 2006, the share of tourism in GRP was 3.3%, which is equal to the average in the North-West federal district, and the region’s income from tourism is 5.2 billion rubles;
– the number of people employed in the tourism sector grew;
– the project “Veliky Ustyug – the birthplace of Father Frost” gained all-Russian fame;
– the flow of foreign tourists to the region increased;
– more and more municipal districts began to develop this industry.
Based on the results of a survey conducted in 2007 in the cities of Vologda and Cherepovets, the ten most famous tourist brands in the region were identified.
The regional government, sensing the importance of this area of activity, provided all possible support for its development, including scientific research.
Thus, in 2007, the Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of the Russian Academy of Sciences carried out research work “Strategy for the development of tourism in the region,” which formed the basis for the long-term industry development program adopted in 2008 for the period until 2015. In 2008, ISEDT RAS carried out research to develop a system for monitoring the development of inbound tourism. Let us note that on the basis of these works we prepared and published the monograph “Strategy for the Development of Tourism in the Vologda Region” for the conference.
Over the years of market transformations, the industrial structure of the Vologda region has undergone significant changes: the industries associated with the first redistribution of raw materials have received the greatest development. As a result, a monostructural production complex was formed. Ferrous metallurgy accounts for 2/3 of the region's industrial production. Severstal's share in budget revenues of the Vologda region during this period was more than 40%. Consequently, the socio-economic situation of the entire region depends on the effectiveness of the functioning of this one company.
This dependence has become especially acute at present in connection with the financial and economic crisis, when the Vologda region from a donor region entered the group of regions most affected by the crisis.
In 2008, the dynamics of industrial production in the region were extremely unstable, industrial production volumes declined sharply. In November alone, industrial production decreased by 37% compared to October. This is the largest reduction among the “metallurgical” regions of the country.
Compared to the population of other municipalities of the Vologda region, the greatest impact of the crisis was felt by residents of Cherepovets, city-forming enterprise which is Severstal.
Let us note that metal prices have decreased by an average of 20–30% on both the global and Russian markets. Since Severstal is the main taxpayer of the Vologda region, this situation could not but affect the state of the region’s budget. Already in November 2008, a decrease in the share of income and profit taxes was recorded individuals in budget revenues. Serious problems arose during the formation of the region's budget for 2009: the revenue side of the budget was planned to be about 43 billion rubles, but in fact it turned out to be almost 2 times less. The regional government forecasts that the regional budget will be executed at 56% of the 2008 level.
Economic problems could not but affect the well-being of the population. Estimates of indices of consumer sentiment, social mood, and reserve of patience in 2008–2009. have acquired obvious trends towards a sharp decline. The consumer sentiment index fell by almost 40%. Indicators of the dynamics of social mood over the same period worsened by 20% and dropped to the level of October 2005.
Indicators of the dynamics of the level of patience stock decreased significantly less, within 8%.
Lack of budget funds was one of the reasons for the decrease in funding targeted programs, including tourism. This situation is observed not only in the region as a whole, but also in municipalities.
One also cannot expect large investments in tourism infrastructure, the insufficient level of development of which is one of the main factors hindering the development of inbound tourism.
At the same time, the basis for economic growth and its transition to an innovative path of development after emerging from the crisis must be prepared now.
In our opinion, it is necessary to develop a scientifically based regional socio-economic policy that can, in conditions of recession and post-crisis stabilization, ensure rapid economic growth and the relief of social tension. The priorities of the socio-economic policy of the Vologda region, in our opinion, should be:
1. Reducing intraregional differentiation, ensuring comprehensive spatial development territory of the region.
2. Stimulating the development of the region’s infrastructure, primarily innovation-oriented, contributing to the growth of the region’s competitiveness, development and implementation of existing potential.
3. Activation of forms social support and social development of the region, aimed at fuller development of human potential.
4. Stimulating the processes of formation of an active life position among residents of the region and the development of civil society institutions.
5. Diversification of the economy, stimulating the development of industries focused primarily on local resources - forestry and agro-industrial complexes, engineering production, as well as the development of areas of activity aimed at expanding the range of services provided, including inbound tourism.
Considering the fact that currently the potential of tourism is not fully used, we can predict that this sector of the economy may well become a source of income, the basis for promoting and strengthening the image of the region.
Of course, we should expect some reduction in tourist flow. However, despite the crisis, interest in tourism and travel will not decrease.
Thus, the current situation in the global, Russian and regional economies is not an obstacle to the definition and official adoption of strategic goals and priorities for tourism development at both the regional and municipal levels.
A study conducted by ISEDT RAS staff suggests that the following should be considered as strategic goals for tourism development in the Vologda region:
Creation of a competitive tourist complex;
Preservation and rational use of the cultural, historical and natural recreational potential of the region.
Priority areas of development can be chosen:
> unlocking the tourism potential of the region in the national tourism market;
> the formation of a new tourism product that goes beyond the traditional idea of the region’s tourism offer;
> expanding opportunities for investing in tourism infrastructure;
> training and advanced training of personnel in the field of tourism services.
According to forecasts, the tourist flow to the Vologda region by 2020 will increase by 2.3–2.5 times compared to 2006. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of increasing the efficiency of using tourism potential now. And in times of crisis, tourism should be considered as an area for developing entrepreneurship, providing income and employment for the population.
Jin Zhao
The significance and prospects of Russian-Chinese regional cooperation in the field of tourism
1. The changing global situation in the field of tourism provides new opportunities for strengthening Russian-Chinese cooperation in this area.
In the 90s of the twentieth century, tourism was recognized as the first industrial sector in the world. Its contribution to the economy exceeded the contribution of such industries as metallurgy, automobile manufacturing, tobacco and alcohol production, and transport. Compared to other industries, tourism is a more “sensitive” industry, but not fragile. She quickly recovers herself. According to the World Tourism Council, the tourism economy's contribution to world GDP reaches 6.8 trillion dollars, which is 11.3%. The number of people employed in this industry is 245 million, which is 8.6% of all workers in the world. At the beginning of the 21st century, great changes occurred in the global tourism environment. A breakthrough was made in a situation where Europe and America controlled this industry for a long time. The share of the Asia-Pacific region in world tourism has exceeded that of America, and a new situation has been created - a “tripod” in which Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and North America occupy an equal position. Like other industries, the development of the tourism industry in Northeast Asia is attracting global attention. This region attracts tourists from all over the world with its unique nature and culture. The huge market potential of this region is constantly being revealed and is becoming an object of competition for tourism businesses around the world.
2. Necessary conditions for Russian-Chinese regional cooperation in the field of tourism.
China and Russia are friendly neighboring countries. The proximity of territories and traditional friendship unites our states. Regarding the development of cooperation in the field of tourism, Russia and China have an excellent base, as well as excellent opportunities for development.
2.1. Friendly state relations.
The peoples of Russia and China are traditionally bound by friendship. In the anti-fascist war in the struggle for Victory, our states provided each other with mutual assistance and support. During the period of peaceful construction, we also provided each other with support, cooperated and maintained relations of friendship and good neighborliness. Now our states are striving for reforms and openness, learning from each other’s experiences, and building closer strategic partnerships.
2.2. Advantage of complementarity of geographical location.
The border between China and Russia forms a huge territory uniting Europe and Asia. In the west it borders on Eastern Europe, Western Europe and Central Asia. In the east - with Japan, South Korea and across the sea - with North America. In the south - with the South Asian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. And thanks to this it becomes an important transport hub connecting the east, west, south and north. On land there are highways and railways everywhere, and on the sea there are ports. Air routes connect Russia and China by the shortest route.
2.3. Rich natural resources.
The history of our states is very ancient, multinational, which creates rich and unique tourist resources. This includes the sea coast in the tropics, the steppe on land, and the “Roof of the World” - Tibet, taiga, famous rivers and lakes, ancient monuments. The culture of Asia, the culture of the East and mixed European-Asian culture, rich national cultures provide the international community with both a familiar and at the same time unfamiliar socio-cultural tourism resource.
2.4. Huge consumer market.
The population of China and Russia together is 1 billion 400 million people, which corresponds to 23% of the world's population. This in itself creates a huge market - a supplier of tourists. The effect of the week-long holiday weekend in China has been to change the way citizens think about it. Russia has already become one of China's tourism markets. The number of Russians who visited China in 2008 exceeded 3 million. Russia and China are making efforts towards reform and opening up. Everyone wants to gain foreign exchange profits through the development of tourism, increase wealth, and stimulate economic cooperation. This also makes it possible to satisfy the increasing demand for tourism of citizens every day, improve their quality of life, and improve mutual understanding between the peoples of different countries.
3. Prospects for Russian-Chinese regional cooperation in the field of tourism:
3.1. The desire for a breakthrough through unified planning.
It is necessary to fully reveal the advantages in the natural resources of each side, develop original tourism products, increase their attractiveness and competitiveness, simplify formalities, improve infrastructure, simplify entry procedures, and achieve more incoming tourists. On the other hand, it is necessary to create conditions for its citizens to visit a neighboring state, reduce barriers, and provide amenities. Both our countries are a single region, and their governments must actively cooperate and, based on unity of views, develop a master plan for the development of the region. In border provinces, territories, districts, it is possible to at least conduct consultations, determine the main types of products of different regions and tourist routes, coordinate major holiday events, and, in order to save money, avoid repeated construction at close distances. Collaborate to work together ecological construction and environmental protection in the region, stimulate the orderly development of tourism resources. At the same time, scientists from both countries should strengthen exchanges, strengthen contacts, carry out tourism research, and push forward the healthy development of tourism area cooperation.
3.2. Striving for a breakthrough through the integration of tourism resources.
First, cooperation between the tourism regions of China and Russia should be strengthened. This is primarily cooperation between border regions, because within 20 years since the establishment of open borders, an excellent base has been created there. For today key point is the need for state support of border regions in their tourism cooperation.
Example. The Chinese city of Hulunbuir is located at the junction of Russia and Mongolia, occupying an advantageous geographical position. In addition, just like the eastern regions of Russia, it has many similarities in national composition population, because the Tungus, Huns, Xianbei, Turks, Khitanians, Jurchens, Mongols, Genghis Khan, who influenced world history, had their influence on this region. Of course, the city of Hulunbuir and the border regions of Russia have already created a transport system of three components - railway, road and air links, and it is also planned to open air links with Mongolia in the near future. Today, it is necessary to complete the formation of a mechanism for coordinating external relations between China, Russia and Mongolia as soon as possible, to accelerate the process of unifying internal and external structures, making tourism and trade the main thing in enhancing the openness of the economy.
From the point of view of the actual situation in the border regions of the three countries - China, Russia and Mongolia - the cooperation of the three border provinces of China with such Russian regions, such as the Aginsky Buryat District, the Trans-Baikal Territory, the Republic of Buryatia, the Irkutsk Region, the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Republic of Tyva, the Novosibirsk Region, with such Mongolian aimaks as Eastern, Khentey, Sukha Bator, in matters of railway, road and air communications, also in matters of construction cross-border infrastructure, joint research into new ways of cooperation in the context of integration of tourism resources. Including in matters of road reconstruction. If we consider the tourism resources of China and Russia, we can develop real, exotic and unusual tourist routes and destinations. For example, in Russia and in the area adjacent to the city of Hulunbuir, there are steppes, taiga and water meadows where eco-tourism and visiting places with wildlife can be developed - this tourism very interesting in the tourism products market. There are memorial sites of the joint revolutionary struggle of the two states, which makes it possible to discover tourism of revolutionary struggle and military glory with visits to significant places and monuments.
It is possible to combine the revolutionary struggle and military glory of the two countries into a single complex of internal tourist routes, making them international. In China and Russia there are well-known rivers where an amazing national culture was born, which also creates excellent conditions for the development of tourism. Third, unusual tourism products should be developed. In order to effectively manage the advantages of tourism resources, the differences in tourism products should also be effectively exploited, in other words, realize complementarity. For example, regarding Russian market, then the south and southeast of China with their tropical and subtropical natural conditions attract many Russian tourists during winter holidays. Regarding the population of the south and southeast
China, then ice, snow and severe cold are a novelty for many there, so many would like to visit Russia in winter.
3.3. Striving for a breakthrough through simplification of formalities.
The goal of a tourist is to relax and have fun, but numerous formalities and long waits for crossing the border can negatively affect the tourist’s vacation. You can use the "Schengen visa" system, as in European countries, although in the near future it does not seem possible to introduce a single visa between the two states. But if a single visa mechanism between two countries were implemented in a certain area, this would lead to an influx of tourists from other countries. At the same time, it is necessary for transport, border, customs and other authorities to simplify formalities for the convenience of tourists.
3.4. The desire for a breakthrough through improving the quality of services.
Today, tourism in China and Russia has developed to a certain extent, although compared with tourism in some Western developed countries, the tourism market in China and Russia is still immature, especially in the service sector. In addition, there are issues in the areas of paid services, the degree of reputation, and the construction of tourist sites and areas. Therefore, with the participation of the authorities, society and by improving market conditions improve the system, normalize actions, build relationships of sincerity, fully reveal the role of the market mechanism, thereby developing tourism sustainably.
Relations between China and Russia are currently developing steadily, cooperation in the economy of border areas, trade and tourism provide new opportunities for development. Therefore, we must use these opportunities, the special advantages of tourism, stimulate the development of border areas and actively contribute to the creation of a sustainable economy and society.
End of introductory fragment.
The development of civilization is closely connected with the development and strengthening of contacts between individual states, nationalities, and territories. Numerous - from the very beginning of the development of human society - travel initially played a purely practical role: identifying the character of neighbors - their friendly or hostile attitude - exchanging experiences, searching for markets and purchasing goods, etc. In this regard, travel repeated the fate of household items, which gradually acquired, in addition to the utilitarian one, an aesthetic function, unimportant for survival, but important for a person psychologically. So, over time, travel received a new status - which also did not play a special role for the life of a given tribe/city/state, but turned out to be so significant for each individual person that it not only has not been lost to this day, but also continues to be actively used, constituting one of the important elements in the development of the economy of any country.
Today there are a huge number of types of tourism. According to the distance of travel, local (usually local history) tourism, domestic tourism and international tourism are distinguished. The latter plays the most significant role in the economy, representing one of the most common forms of exchange of services. According to the goals, tourism can be distinguished: entertainment, educational (can coincide with the previous type of tourism, can act independently as the goal of scientific survey expeditions), health (can be entertainment and health - recreational - or sports and fitness), sports (can also be an element of the program recreational trips, or may be a separate purpose - for example, ski tourism). All these types of tourism are often closely intertwined, and they are often difficult to isolate in their pure form.
Thus, any type of tourism one way or another contains educational and entertainment elements, in contrast, for example, to professional trips and expeditions, the main purpose of which is to perform a certain job. The desire to see and learn something new is still the main motivation for tourist travel. That is why tourism is closely related to the level of development of civilization. The comfort and distance of the proposed trip (in the days of carriages, few would have wanted to go for pleasant impressions from Siberia to the Mediterranean), public awareness of possible vacation spots, and safety - determined not only by natural conditions - depend on this level. but also the political situation as in my native country. and in the one that is the purpose of travel, the development of entertainment infrastructure - in general, everything that provides the opportunity for an interesting, pleasant holiday and vivid impressions. Undoubtedly, these parameters developed along with human society, determining the characteristics of tourism at this stage of human history. and shaping the history of tourism - the history of the emergence of travel in the ancient states of the world, the goals and motives of these travels, as well as the formation of tourism as an industry from the early Middle Ages to the present day, and determining the motivation for these travels. It is worth mentioning right away that the period before the mid-19th century is considered by most researchers to be the prehistory of tourism. Traveling is not an end in itself, but only serves as a means to an end. The history of tourism itself is usually counted from the famous massive (570 people) twenty-mile trip along railway with tea, buns and a brass band, organized in England in 1841 by Thomas Cook. This was the first case of organizing the provision of mass recreation as a single set of services.
The tourism industry is one of the most dynamic industries that is rapidly developing in the global economy. Tourism is one of the three largest export industries, behind oil and automobile manufacturing. Currently, tourism is the most profitable sector of the world economy. The basis for the development of the tourism industry is formed by the following significant points:
— Increasing the share of incoming tourism;
— Reducing the disproportion between resource provision and the degree of its use;
— Promotion of the national tourism product;
— State support for domestic tourism.
The tourism industry functions as an intersectoral complex thanks to established connections with almost all government departments and services. In particular, there are connections with such structures as legal (covers legislative and regulatory framework, customs and consular services), financial and economic (tax and insurance systems, financial relationships), personnel (training for tourism, scientific research, etc.). State support is to stimulate the population's needs for tourism services. A manifestation of the effectiveness of state tourism policy is the profitability of the tourism industry and its contribution to the national economy.
The scientific works of many domestic and foreign scientists are devoted to the study of the problems and features of the development of the tourism services market under the influence of various types of factors. In their works, scientists pay attention to the methodology for the development and implementation of state and regional tourism policies that determine the economic and organizational levers of regulatory policy for tourism development, the prerequisites for the emergence and principles of operation of enterprises of the recreational and tourism complex, classification of their forms and types, planning of financial and economic activities of tourism enterprises sphere, forecasting the development of the regional tourism services market, mechanism economic assessment and regulation of the tourist attractiveness of the territory.
A study of published works on the problem of development of the tourism services market allows us to conclude that the issue of the influence of factors in the tourism industry has not been sufficiently studied, which negatively affects the development of tourism as a whole and makes the issue of solving this problem very relevant.
The development of tourism as a whole depends on a set of conditions: natural-geographical, historical-political, socio-economic, demographic, prevailing in society and the factors that determine them. Factors in the development of the tourism services market are usually divided into external and internal.
Factor in tourism- this is a moment, an essential circumstance of tourist practice.
External (exogenous) factors influence tourism through demographic and social changes; economic and financial development; changes in political and legal regulation; technological changes; trade development; transport infrastructure and travel safety. TO external factors can be attributed to the geographical location of the region, political relations between countries, international division labor, price level international market and in different countries, etc..
The determining factors are the internal factors of development of the tourism services market. Among them are the natural geographical features and climatic conditions of the country, the availability and quality of natural resources and the possibility of their convenient use, economic situation in the country, the internal politics of the country, political stability, social system, the level of development of the productive forces, the structure and level of well-being of the population, the opportunity to receive benefits and discounts on tourism services at the expense of the state and public organizations, enterprises and institutions, the state of development of tourism infrastructure, transport networks, standard of living in society, educational and cultural level of the population.
From the point of view of influence on tourism activities, all factors are divided into attraction factors (induce to travel - natural, cultural and social conditions in the country where tourist flows are formed) and factors of differentiation of demand (affect the choice of travel destination - tourist resources, infrastructure development, level of socio-economic development of the country).
From the point of view of the mechanism of influence on the development of tourism, it is possible to identify objective factors that have already been formed by the historical development of society, and such that purposefully regulate tourism activities - the factors of the first group. The second includes government policy in tourism, the presence and content of tourism legislation, tourism education in society, etc.
Factors influencing the development of tourism are diverse and multifaceted. The presence of favorable factors leads to the leadership of individual regions and countries in world tourism, and vice versa, undesirable factors reduce the tourist flow.
The main factors influencing the development of tourism can be divided into two groups: static and dynamic.
Static ones have a meaning that does not change over time (natural climatic, geographical, cultural and historical factors). Dynamic factors include:
— Demographic (overall population growth, urbanization, i.e. an increase in the share of the urban population due to a decrease in the number of rural residents, change age structure population (increasing in many countries average duration life leads to the fact that everything more people have free time and funds that allow them to travel abroad);
— Social (increasing well-being of the population of developed countries actively participating in tourist exchanges, increasing the duration of paid holidays and reducing the length of the working week, increasing the number of working women and increasing income per family (household), increasing the proportion of single people, the trend towards later marriage and creation families, extremely rapid growth in the number of childless couples in the population, decreased immigration, earlier retirement, increased awareness of tourism opportunities.)
— Economic (consist of changing the structure of consumption of goods and services in the direction of increasing the share of various services, including tourism, in the consumer basket of the population);
— Cultural (the growth of the cultural level of the population of many countries and, in connection with this, the desire of people to get acquainted with foreign cultural values);
— Scientific and technological progress (determines the rapid development of the material and technical base of the tourism industry, creates the necessary conditions for mass tourism);
— International factors (mitigation of the international climate, transition from confrontation between individual states to cooperation and mutual understanding, globalization processes, resolution of controversial international issues through the negotiation process.
TO the most important factors, which determine the development of tourism abroad include:
— External support government agencies(the experience of different countries shows that the success of tourism development directly depends on how this industry is perceived at the state level and the extent to which it enjoys government support);
— Growth of social wealth;
— Reduction of working hours;
— Urbanization (concentration of population in cities, separation from nature makes it necessary to spend free time outside areas of permanent residence);
— Level of public consciousness.
According to Western experts, the main factors determining the attractiveness of a tourist region are: the accessibility of the region, its nature and climate, the attitude of the local population towards visitors; region infrastructure, price level, condition retail; sports, recreational and educational opportunities; cultural and social characteristics. The last factor, in turn, attracts tourists for the following reasons: work, national clothing, architecture, crafts, history, language, religion, education, traditions, recreation, painting, music, gastronomy.
A combination of factors determines the emergence and nature of behavioral characteristics of consumers of tourism services, which can be expressed by such indicators as:
— Frequency of tourism;
— Preferences in choosing a tourist center and geography of tourism;
— Form of organization of the tour preferred;
— Tourist’s idea of the price of the tour;
— An idea of the travel agency’s brand;
— Communicative behavior of a tourist;
— The role of external stimuli in the process of making a decision to purchase a tour.
Another type of factors influencing the development of the tourism services market is personal-behavioral factors. It is worth noting that among all the factors influencing the development of tourism, personal and behavioral factors play a leading role in the modern world. They consist of motives that ensure the desire of consumers to travel, while meeting the requirements of the tourist. Analyzing the role of psychological factors in the formation of the tourism services market, it has been proven that only a few tourists come again to those places where they have already been before, excluding cases of the presence of economic, therapeutic and preventive or sentimental motives. As income increases, a person begins to give preference to psychological motives when choosing a new trip. An opinion about the quality of the consumed tourism product is formed some time after the trip, since before the trip the consumer can only model his expectations based on the available information. Therefore, the importance of the situation lies in the fact that the idea of a product gives rise to certain expectations in the consumer, and if they are not justified by the real quality of the product, the consumer is easily disappointed in it. The purpose of tourism is the rational organization of the consumer’s free time. Accordingly, the development of tourism can be determined by the presence of two main factors: free time and financial resources for its rational organization.
So, in our opinion, the development of tourism is influenced by both positive and negative factors associated with the political, legislative and socio-economic situation in the country and in the world. Positive factors for the development of the tourism services market include:
— Stability and openness of politics and economics
— Growth of social wealth and income of the population;
— Reducing working hours and increasing free time;
— Development of transport, communications and information technologies;
— Increased urbanization;
— Building an intellectual society;
— Encouraging national and foreign investment in the development of the tourism industry;
— Strengthening Russia’s position in the global tourism market;
— Simplification and harmonization of tax, currency, customs, border and other forms of regulation;
— Stimulating tourism for children, youth, elderly people, people with disabilities and low-income families by providing benefits;
— Promoting the development of the priority tourism industry.
Negative factors in the development of the tourism services market include:
— Tensions in international relations;
— Political instability and closed economy;
— Stagnation of the economy and decline in the well-being of the population;
— Unsettled tourism resources;
— Underdevelopment of the tourism industry;
— Irrational use of cultural, historical and religious heritage and the environment;
— Low level income of the population and lack of free time;
— Environmental pollution and environmental hazards;
— Underestimation of the role of tourism in the intellectualization of society;
— Lack of effective incentives for investing in the development of the tourism industry at an even level and world standards;
— Underestimation of the role tourism business in filling the budget.
These factors influencing the development of tourism should determine the goals of state regulation and priority areas for the development of tourism business.
Shevchenko Tatyana Anatolyevna, Postgraduate student, Volga State University of Service, Tolyatti, Russia
| Download PDF | Downloads: 97
Annotation:
The article examines the factors for the development of ecotourism and identifies the problems of implementing this direction in the region.
JEL classification:
Currently, the tourism sector in Russia is an important and rapidly developing part of the country's economy. The popularity of tourism as an active holiday is growing, and its geography is constantly expanding. New destinations and types of tourism are being created. Due to modern financial situation In the global market, one can predict the dynamic development of the domestic sector. In this regard, the demand for all destinations and types of recreation within the country will increase. They include such types of tourism as religious, sports, extreme, educational and many others. The state today assigns a special role to promoting environmental recreation. In this regard, ecotourism is becoming increasingly widespread. Today, ecotourism is one of the most important segments in the Russian tourism sector. Its relevance is explained by the fact that, according to experts, it is this type of tourism that should receive priority development in the near future, since it is focused on the gentle, rational use of natural and historical and cultural objects, educates people’s ecological worldview, and helps avoid many of the negative consequences of mass tourism . In addition, practice shows that eco-tourism contributes to the socio-economic development of regions. The reason for the demand for this area is, first of all, the need of citizens for free communication with nature, unencumbered by city noise and bustle. The implementation of this direction is mainly associated with the use of national parks within the framework of regulated tourism. Ecological tourism Ecotourism is travel with responsibility towards the environment and undisturbed natural areas. The distinctive features of eco-tourism are that it can prevent negative impacts on nature and encourage tour operators and tourists to promote environmental conservation and socio-economic development. Eco-tourism is the only direction in the tourism industry that is interested in preserving its main resource - the natural environment or its individual components (natural monuments, certain species of animals or plants, etc.). The local population is involved in the process of ecotourism; they are interested in the use of natural resources on the basis of management, and not extraction. Any civilized type of tourism must necessarily bear the features of “environmental friendliness”, not disturb the natural balance, and especially not cause damage to natural complexes. All types of tourism must include environmental and cultural components, have general educational goals and an educational focus. We can distinguish five main criteria that ecotourism must meet: 1) focus on nature, use of predominantly natural resources; 2) not causing damage to the environment or minimizing this damage; 3) focus on environmental education and enlightenment, on the formation of relations of equal partnership with nature; 4) focus on preserving the local socio-cultural sphere; 5) economic efficiency from the perspective of sustainable development of the areas where it is carried out. The potential of the Samara region for the development of eco-tourism Each of its types must meet the listed criteria for ecotourism, which include: 1) scientific tourism - associated with various types of nature research; 2) natural history tours - travel related to knowledge of the surrounding nature and local culture; 3) adventure tourism - combines all travel associated with active methods of movement and outdoor recreation, with the goal of obtaining new sensations, impressions, improving the tourist’s physical fitness and achieving sports results; 4) travel to natural reserves - tourism with the aim of observing unique and exotic natural objects and phenomena located in specially protected natural areas. Each of the listed types of eco-tourism is associated with a temporary conscious change in people’s habitual way of life to camping conditions that contribute to tourists’ contact with the ecologically clean natural environment. In connection with this, it is most popular among young people, among city residents who are tired of “industrial landscapes” and the “technogenic environment”, seeking to change places, their lifestyle and habitat for the purpose of healthy, active and educational recreation. Samara region is one of the most beautiful regions of Russia with developed economy, rich in culture and history dating back centuries. The nature of the Samara region, on the one hand, is typical for central Russia, and on the other hand, is unique. Its peculiarity is that in a relatively small area one can find elements of natural zones characteristic of almost all regions of the Russian Federation (with the exception of the far north and southern coastal areas). Therefore, the Samara region has the richest natural potential for the development of eco-tourism. On its territory there is the Samarskaya Luka National Park, a one-of-a-kind natural site, which is a peninsula with an area of over 1,500 square meters. km, limited by the bend of the Volga River and its tributaries. This unique complex of wildlife is characterized by unique relief forms, a unique microclimate, the presence of interesting geological formations, and numerous natural and historical monuments. Also in the Samara region are the Buzuluksky Bor National Park and the Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve named after I. I. Sprygin, which represent a harmonious combination of natural and cultural landscapes. There are landscape reserves - Vasilievsky Islands and Sergievsky Mineral Waters. Mount Camel, Devya Gora, Molodetsky Kurgan are only a small part of the unique objects of the region that are of interest to lovers of eco-tourism. These places have no equal in beauty and uniqueness in the Middle Volga region. In total, 306 natural monuments are registered on the territory of the Samara region, of which 13 objects have the status of republican significance. National parks and the need to develop territories The unique tourist and recreational potential of the Samara region requires scientifically based and targeted use. It can and should become an important sector of the region's economy. The development of ecological tourism on the basis of the existing network of specially protected natural areas has great economic prospects and can become an important basis for their sustainable development and attracting additional financial flows to the Samara region. Unlike other types of tourism, ecotourism associated with visiting national parks requires significantly lower organizational costs and investments in infrastructure development at the initial stage. Another advantage is that ecotourism is aimed at the category of tourists who consciously strive for less comfortable living conditions than usual and therefore are not very demanding in terms of the level of service. However, the growing attractiveness of national parks for tourists must be constantly supported by the development of tourism infrastructure and the expansion of the range of services that require certain capital investments and organizational measures on site (construction of small hotels and cottages for receiving tourists, equipment of trails and parking lots, rental of tourist equipment, restoration and repair of historical -cultural monuments, organization and maintenance of local folk crafts, national holidays and many others). This is a favorable prospect and strategy for the development of tourism in the region. However, the implementation of the environmental direction requires solving a number of problems. The state of the environment in specially protected areas, both in Russia in general and in the Samara region in particular, is far from favorable. This situation is due to backward technologies both in industry and in agriculture and forestry, weak control over monopolistic companies extracting raw materials. State participation and implementation is necessary state control at the federal and regional levels for the development of tourism activities in the territories of national parks and reserves. Conclusion Ecotourism is usually understood as an active and educational holiday for people visiting ecologically clean places, nature reserves, national parks and reserves, or “tourism with a soft touch to nature.” Ecotourism is, first of all, nature-oriented tourism, travel and active recreation associated with communication with “wild nature”, natural landscapes, aimed at getting to know interesting natural objects, phenomena and landscapes, with flora and fauna, including educational and environmental aspects regarding natural complexes in the visited areas. The Samara region has a unique potential for the development of eco-tourism, because on its territory there are numerous unique natural and cultural heritage sites that are highly attractive to tourists. As foreign experience shows, it is advisable to use specially protected lands for tourism and recreational purposes. This practice does not harm environment, but, on the contrary, contributes to the preservation of the natural beauty of unique territories, since regulated economic and tourist activities are carried out in these zones. In this regard, the development of ecotourism in the Samara region is becoming one of the most priority areas development of the region, because the increase in the flow of tourists associated with mass visits to national parks and reserves will entail not only the preservation of natural areas, but will also lead to an increase in income going to the regional budget.
4. Tourism and national parks of Russia [ Electronic resource]. – Access mode: http://www.ecoline.ru/mc/books/tourism/ch1.html.
5. Ecotourism is increasingly popular in Russia [Electronic resource]. – Access mode: http://www.travel.ru/news/2007/12/26/118817.html.
6. http://www.mirrabot.com/work/work_56080.html.
7. Marketing. Advertising. Exhibition business. Logistics [Electronic resource]. – Access mode: http://www.gpntb.ru/win/pre/1_2002/1_16_2002.html.