Tourism is a wonderful way of active or passive (depending on the desire of a particular person) rest. In the world there are many interesting places with beautiful landscapes and unique monuments. Africa, America, South-West Asia with their history, culture, features of national cuisine represent a lot of opportunities for vivid impressions.
The National Tourism Organization of Korea alone, a small Asian country, presents various options for great tourism. In a significant number of countries (France, Italy, Slovakia), tourism brings large amounts of money, and in some (for example, Egypt, Thailand, known to all Russians) it even takes a leading place in the economy. On a global scale, it is tens of billions of dollars, hundreds of millions of jobs. It is not for nothing that national and international tourism organizations play a significant role in the world community.
Tourism in Russia
Today, the Russian Federation also has great tourist potential: it is distinguished by its advantageous geographical position, huge open spaces in Europe and Asia, and serious opportunities in the historical and cultural sphere. In our country there are a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Unfortunately, so far this tourism potential has not been fully utilized. Although some efforts are being made. So, in recent years, the National Event Tourism Award “Russian Event Awards” has appeared.
National tourism, as a rule, in most countries, as in ours, includes domestic (across the territory of the state) and outbound tourism, which formally falls within the framework of the categories of national production.
In general, tourism within a single country combines domestic (domestic citizens) and inbound (foreigners) tourism. These flows correspond to total tourism income, i.e. total income from domestic and foreign travelers.
Tourism classification
The structure of international and national tourism can be formed on completely different grounds, the main of which include the following: purpose of the trip, seasonal fluctuations, territorial framework, personal requirements of tourists, financial potential. Such classifications can be made even more fractional, nevertheless, in any form, they often remain rather arbitrary, since it is not always possible to clearly distinguish the marked features.
Among theorists and practitioners there is no general approach to the industry structure of tourism, but the vast majority of them distinguish between trips for leisure and entertainment, business business tourism, religious tourism for trips to world shrines, health and fitness trips to improve health, event tourism and so on .
Recreation and entertainment
Trips for recreation and entertainment are very popular and form the basis of world tourism. According to official figures, they make up approximately 70% of all trips, and, in turn, are divided into destinations: health, cognitive (in interesting places), amateur (in taste and interests), sports, etc. National tourism of Russia is also in based on this type of tourism.
In the past, and at the present stage, and, most likely, in the future, trips to warm countries, to the sun and the sea will be in increased demand.
Traveling to water, to sandy beaches, traditionally stand out as the best ways to relieve mental and physical stress, restore strength and energy. At the same time, however, health tourism is undergoing significant changes: the fashion for seaside health resorts and resorts is leaving, tourist destinations are changing, interest in mountain tours and travel, full of adventure and danger, that is, the so-called extreme, is increasing.
A compulsory part of any holiday will be familiarization with historical and cultural monuments, major theaters, famous museums in order to obtain information about culture, outstanding historical events. Many tourists visit famous religious places, get an idea of the traditions and life of local people.
The most complete knowledge about the various features of the regional variants of human civilization comes as a result of direct contacts with local people, which occur precisely thanks to the development of tourism. Representing the volumes and the available framework of cognitive tourism, a considerable part of scientists considers it one of the leading tourism sub-sectors.
Event tourism
Today, unique tours that combine traditional light relaxation and participation in the most striking events are gradually gaining popularity. Event tourism of our days is original events and holidays, individual conditions of rest and indelible impressions that remain in memory for many years. The main feature of event tourism is a large number of highlights. This is a promising and fast-paced form of travel. The national tourism organization in our country also focuses on the indicated direction.
Ordinary event tourism clients are wealthy people with a higher than average income level, as well as small companies combining several couples.
Such tourism can be sorted by event scale and direction. In foreign event tourism it is necessary to note a number of thematic areas. Among them are the following:
- national theme festivals and fun holidays;
- theatrical, costume, ice shows;
- multilevel film and theater festivals;
- gastronomic national festivals.
All these events are popular and massive, constantly increasing the scale of activity, affecting the economy and culture in large volumes.
National Event Tourism Association
Event tourism in our country is becoming increasingly popular and serves as a strong catalyst for the development of tourism opportunities in the country. Hence the urgent need for the establishment of the National Event Tourism Association. Of course, there were long disputes, different positions were formed. But in the end it became clear that the appearance of this organization was dictated by the existing situation. In 2014, in the process of extensive discussions and heated negotiations as part of the events and the presentation of the National Russian Event Awards, the creation of the NAST organization proceeded. On March 15, as part of the X International Tourism Exhibition Intourmarket, a constituent assembly of the National Event Tourism Association was formed.
The organization’s leading goal is to create a common communication base for Russian event tourism professionals. NAST is an industry union that aims to lobby the range of interests of event tourism industry participants in all circles of government, to develop event tourism among specialists and the general public, and to formulate professional standards for events.
Business tourism
Business tourism involves traveling for business purposes without generating income at the final destination of the trip. The difference between travel on vacation and for entertainment is that the decision on a business trip, sources and amounts of financing is usually not made by the travelers themselves, but by other persons - representatives of the administration, superiors, etc.
International tourism also includes business travel for visits to congresses, scientific and cultural congresses and conferences, industrial seminars and meetings, various types of fairs, economic exhibitions and trips for other official purposes.
In professional literature, business tourism is often divided into business trips, congress and exhibition travel, and incentive tourism - trips with which the company encourages its employees for good performance in work.
Of course, it is possible to encourage productive work in cash, but, as is the case in practice, including in financial companies, in business enterprises that have created an extensive intermediary network, employees are much more interested in tourist travel. The difference between such tourism and mass tours is that incentive programs are created for a specific corporate client, and usually travel agencies offer high-class placements and high-quality service on the way to the destination. And while in the total tourist flow, in particular, to such European countries as Spain or France, “bonus” customers gain only 5-7%, the share of incentives in receiving funds from tourism is much larger. This is due to the higher cost of incentive programs compared to typical tourist tours.
Health tourism
It aims to harness the natural healing wealth and physiotherapeutic capabilities used to promote health. Natural healing springs include the following: mineral cold and hot waters, healing natural mud, favorable climatic features, picturesque landscapes, forests, forest parks, alpine mountain meadows, areas used for natural koumiss treatment, brine of salted estuaries and lakes, coastal territory of the seas and large reservoirs.
Medical tourist trips suggest the following: treatment with various weather factors, healing with various mineral waters, mud therapy, swimming, etc.
Medical tours are usually very specialized. During such a journey, you can suspend the course of the disease and even completely get rid of the disease. This applies to visits to popular clinical centers, whose specialists use both classical and the best non-traditional methods of treatment, as well as to balneological and mud spas.
Promotions for outstanding projects and personalities
The desire to develop national tourism is realized in different ways. In Russia, in 2012, the National Event Tourism Award was established as the final industry award, which is awarded according to the results of a large project competition for outstanding achievements in the development of the Russian event tourism industry.
The scope of this competition is increasing. In 2012, one hundred and fourteen projects from thirty-nine different cities of Russia were presented for awarding. In the final of the competition there were more than thirty projects. The ceremony was organized in Voronezh.
The following year, 2013, two hundred thirty-two projects out of ninety-three large and small settlements of Russia were nominated for the National Event Tourism Award. The authors of seventy-three tourism projects from thirty-eight cities and villages of various regions showed their presentations in the final of the award. Authors from twenty cities of Russia managed to win this contest. The final and awarding of the national tourism prize were organized in Vladimir and Suzdal.
In 2014, nearly five hundred outstanding works from one hundred and ninety-six cities and villages were nominated for the National Prize contest, all of which unite seventy-two regions of the whole country. One hundred and eleven projects from seventy-two settlements representing forty-two Russian regions were taken for display in the final. The final prize was organized in Kirov.
In 2015, almost seven hundred projects from 353 settlements representing seventy Russian regions appeared at the competition. A little over a hundred of the best works from 36 regions of Russia reached the final of the competition. The grand closing took place in Kazan.
In 2016, seven hundred and two projects from almost seventy Russian regions appeared. In the final, presentations of 169 projects from forty-one regions of the country were realized. The final of the competition took place in Yaroslavl
Finally, in the current 2017 it is planned to implement several regional competitions in a number of cities of our country. The all-Russian final of the National Tourism Award competition will be held in October in Lipetsk. In the Far Eastern and Siberian districts alone, more than one hundred projects were submitted.
Leading tourism organization in our country
The development of national tourism in Russia at the present stage required the creation of a special state organization that could control and, if necessary, limit tourist flows. As part of the order of the Federal Tourism Agency of March 20, 2014, the federal state unitary enterprise “National Tourism Development Corporation” appeared. What does this organization do today?
The leading activity of the new enterprise was assistance and organization of activities aimed at the overall development and improvement of the functioning of the tourism industry in our country.
Now the organization is carrying out intensive work on the implementation of tourism projects in the Crimea. In addition, she does a lot to promote federal targeted tourism programs.
Unlike the previous organization, on the basis of which the corporation was created, it is engaged not only in restoration work and restoration of famous monuments, objects of cultural and historical heritage, as it was before, but also in tourism itself. This is its radical difference from its predecessor.
National Academy of Tourism of the Russian Federation. History of occurrence
The National Academy of Tourism of the Russian Federation was established at the very end of the last century - in 1999. The functioning of this organization was immediately aimed at helping the stable development of tourism in our country, coordinating the activities of scientific and practical workers of state and private organizations in the tourism sector for the formation of scientifically reasoned comprehensive domestic programs to modernize tourism, hotel and sanatorium facilities; to improve the qualifications of Russians employed in the tourism industry, and to develop the historical and cultural heritage of Russia.
NAT includes almost eight hundred academicians from forty regions of the country, eleven inter-regional associations work. The annual general meetings and regularly held events are aimed at solving the burning problems of modernizing domestic and outbound tourism in modern Russia. In this regard, the Academy plays the role of a national tourism center.
Printed "Tourism Herald"
In recent years, tourism has been developing rapidly around the world as a whole and in Russia in particular. And this is not surprising - a lot of financial resources are directed to this area. Information support is also developing. In particular, it is the "Bulletin of National Tourism" NAT.
The Russian scientific journal has been published since 2006. The frequency of exit is four times a year. The publication is published once a quarter.
The "Vestnik" publishes the results of scientific research and lessons learned from various events in the tourism sector and related fields, implemented from the standpoint of economics, business, pedagogy and psychology, cultural studies and history, geography. The factors of theory and practice of development of the tourism industry and tourism education are considered.
The main goal of the magazine is to constantly inform its readers about the development of tourism science and the functioning of scientific bodies, to establish strong ties with scientists working on scientific works in the tourism industry and related fields, to bring together a geographically divided audience, thus creating a common professional fraternity , which helps to uncover the most pressing problems of tourism and the integration of scientific research.
The magazine pays attention to such areas as:
- the most important methodological factors in the modernization of the tourism sector;
- economic aspects of the formation of the tourism sector;
- foreign tourism;
- regional domestic tourism;
- training of qualified specialists;
- theory and practice of tourism related fields of activity.
Current Ratings
In the spring of 2017, the National Event Tourism Association (NAST) creates a new comprehensive project to achieve the following goal: increasing the level of development of event tourism in the regions of our country. For this, a National Event Tourism Development Rating has been developed.
Unlike the programs of comparing the tourist attractiveness of the country's regions that are already available in modern Russia and are often based on opaque criteria, this rating will be based on an assessment of the possibilities of event tourism in a certain region of the country and have a transparent criteria structure.
The national rating of event tourism will provide an opportunity not only to identify the most promising regions, but also to create a system of approximate assessments that allows the leading structures of the country's subjects to have an idea of the attractiveness of the regions, both existing and potential, in order to determine the paths and pace of development of event tourism.
Already in the first months of the existence of the new rating, the high interest of most regions in the existence of an objective rating system was revealed.