Youth Tourism in the Russian Province: Study of the Possibilities for Local Tourist Market Development

Abstract

According to forecasts of the World tourism organization (UNWTO) by 2020 Russia will be able to enter the first ten countries which are assessed not only by the number of tourists crossing the border, but also by tourists reception that is more important. Specified forecasts do not consider potential volumes of internal tourism services which are formed in Russian regional (local) tourist markets. In this regard, scientific research of potential of youth tourism development is extremely urgent in Russian regions: 1) now youth tourism develops very quickly and will considerably influence development prospects of internal tourism in Russia; 2) youth tourism can be positioned as a segment of global international tourism as travelling youth today is an international tourist in the future. The research objective is to confirm a hypothesis that youth tourism in Russia is formed as an independent kind, and it has prospects and gives an impulse to develop regional (local) tourist markets. Research is based on empirical data obtained by means of an sociological poll (questioning) of rural municipal areas residents and small cities of the Samara region that represent typical settlements of Russian province. Special attention is paid to results interpretation of youth questioning in rural municipal area Sergiyevskii. As a result of research various approaches to youth tourism definition are identified, various sections (aspects) of subjective factors that form youth attitude to tourism of Russian province are revealed; diagnostics of youth tourist services structure is implemented. Research results are addressed to public and municipal administration in Russian regions, to travel business organizations, public youth organizations. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6s3p40