On legislative consolidation of classification of the types of tourism

Abstract

The successful development of tourism requires proper legal regulation. At the same time, the diversity of the types of tourism is virtually neglected by the legislator and does not receive due attention of the legal scholars. This question is being regulated fragmentary and inconsistently on the level of bylaws and legislation of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Occasional use of improper terminology, discrepancy in understanding of the essence of same types of tourism, disregard of their peculiarities impairs the effectiveness of state administration of tourism sector, negatively affects the quality of tourism services, and distorts the representations of Russia as a tourism friendly country. The article analyzes the grounds for classification of the types of tourism that have legal bearing: depending on the place of permanent residence of the tourist, on the purpose of tourist trips, on the way of organization of trip, on the social and age category of tourists. The conclusion is formulated that the key direction in improving sectoral tourism legislation consists in consolidation of extensive classification of the types of tourism and definition of concepts included therein in the Federal Law “On the Fundamentals of Tourism Activity”. For the purpose of unification of terminology, further development of tourism legislation, and improved quality of state administration of the tourism sector, the author proposes the original classification of tourism.