Typology of countries of the world according to the development level of international tourism

Abstract

A multifactor tourism typology of countries of the world having a structural-functional character has been developed. It provides insight into the typological features of the global spatial structure of international tourism, reflecting the intensity of international tourism flows, their geography, the importance of the tourism industry for the national economy as well as the general attributes of territorial organization of international tourism, and the dynamics of its development. Five main types of touristic types of countries have been identified. The following indicators were used for characterization of the countries and their comparison: the size of the territory, and the population size; the general level of socioeconomic development; the level and character of development of international tourism; the characteristic properties of touristic demand; the orientedness of tourism flows; characteristics of touristic offer; the degree of influence of international tourism on the national economy; characteristics of the state policy in the sphere of tourism, and touristic specialization. The first type includes the economically highly developed countries with mature national systems of international tourism forming the center of the world’s touristic space. The second type is represented by countries belonging to the semi-periphery of the world’s touristic space with an intensely forming state-supported polyfunctional system of international tourism. The third type includes moderately developed countries of the semi-periphery of the world’s touristic space with a polyfunctional system of international tourism in the stage of transformation and formation of a civilized travel market. The fourth type comprises small island states of the Caribbean Basin which belong to the semi-periphery and, in part, to the “advanced” periphery of the world’s touristic space. The fifth type combines developing countries belonging to the periphery of the world’s touristic space, with a weakly developed market of international tourism.