Interregional differentiation in the development of international tourism in Russia

Abstract

International tourism, with its positive effect on socio-economic development of entire regions and individual countries, plays a crucial role for Russia’s economic growth. The paper analyses the interregional differentiation in the development of international tourism in the Russian Federation. The study is based on the official data from the Federal State Statistics Service. Median indicators are calculated. Drawing on the methods of economic analysis, induction, deduction, comparison and generalization, the study reveals a significant disproportion of inbound and outbound tourist international flows in Russia in 2016–2019, with greater part of Russian regions being the donors of tourists for foreign destinations. The analysis of inbound and outbound international tourist flows allowed us to identify six typological groups of Russian regions. The results obtained make it possible to form a comprehensive outlook of the development of international tourism in Russia. Practical application of the proposed approach gives an opportunity to expand possible options for management decisions, acting as a tool of regional economic policy in the sphere of tourism.