Экономика региона (Mar 2020)
Methodological Tools for Assessing the Region’s Tourist and Recreation Potential
Abstract
The assessment of the region’s tourist and recreation potential (TRP) is a basis for determining its competitiveness. In this regard, the improvement of methods for assessing the tourist and recreation potential are becoming relevant. The article considers the applying the methodological tools to the integrated multifactor assessment of the TRP of Northern, Central and Eastern Kazakhstan. We started by determining five groups of assessment parameters: natural conditions and resources, cultural and historical resources, the tourist infrastructure availability, the information availability of tourism, and limiting factors. Then, we identified the criteria for each block and the scales for assessing the parameters. The next stage included selecting an expert assessment, conducting an expert survey, collecting and processing secondary information. Further, we identified private indicators of tourist and recreation potential by blocks. At the final stage, we calculated the integral indicator of TRP in regions. We used two types of calculation: based on official statistics, and based on the expert survey. In the first case, the analysis has shown that Central and Eastern Kazakhstan have a rather high TRP, while the potential of Northern Kazakhstan is estimated at the “below average” level. In the second case, the calculations have confirmed that Northern Kazakhstan has a very high potential for the further development of tourism. East Kazakhstan has the “above average” tourist and recreation potential. According to the experts, Central Kazakhstan has low potential, despite the fact that “the tourist infrastructure availability” was rated highly. The assessment method of expert survey is more objective, since the insufficiency of the indicators displayed in official statistics does not allow for a larger-scale calculation of the regions’ TRP. An expert survey is the best option as it provides an opportunity to flexibly shape a set of factors and subparameters comprising the components of the TRP. The obtained findings adequately depict the real situation and can be used for developing measures in the priority areas of tourism development in the regions of Kazakhstan.
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