Domestic tourism as a driver of socio-economic development of the Samara region

Abstract

The article examines promising areas of tourism as a driver of socio-economic development, identified on the basis of an analysis of the preferences of consumers of tourist services in the Samara region. The relevance of the study is confirmed by the growing demand for domestic tourism destinations, both intraregional and in Russia as a whole. Samara region is included in the «Golden Twenty» of the National Tourism Rating of the regions of the Russian Federation, has a developed infrastructure, significant natural, historical and cultural potential for tourism development. The authors note that tourism is a strategic priority of the socio-economic development of the Samara region and Russia as a whole, identify promising types of tourist services in the region. The article presents the results of studying the preferences of consumers of the tourism sector in order to identify popular types of tourism in the Samara region, aimed at sustainable socio-economic development and satisfaction of tourist requests of visitors in relevant areas, as well as increasing the level of investment activity in the region. The key needs of users of tourist services of the Samara region are identified and compared with the existing tourist potential of the region. It is noted that the basis for the development of the tourism industry in the region are all-season events for the balanced development of existing types of tourism: fishing and hunting, cultural and educational, active ecotourism, creative tourism. The authors of the study emphasize that the future of tourism in the Samara region is connected with the development of domestic tourism, the growing demand for tourist interregional routes of active recreation, the formation of a culture of eco-tourism, obtaining authentic experience of communicating with local residents and their way of life, immersion in the culture, traditions and language of the place.