Problems of international tourism development. Geography and problems of development of modern international tourism. The impact of crisis processes on the tourism industry

The problem of inequality in the development of world space in the international tourism sector is significant, which will allow us to draw the following conclusions and conclusions:

1. Each territory has its own recreational potential, which also depends on what part of the territory is occupied for other economic needs.

2. The modern world is extremely diverse from all points of view. The natural and natural resource, historical, cultural, ethno-confessional, and socio-economic conditions of different countries and regions are different. And it is precisely this diversity that is the basis for the functioning of such a social sector as tourism. After all, it is the desire to see something new that draws people into this area. Absolute advantage plays a decisive role in international tourism. Indeed, some countries have unique tourism resources: exceptional natural places, such as Niagara Falls in the USA, Mount Chomolungma in Nepal, etc.; monuments of art - the pyramids of the pharaohs in Egypt, the Taj Mahal in India, the Acropolis in Greece, the Colosseum in Italy, etc. Unique natural monuments and works of art created by man determine the monopoly position of a particular country and encourage foreign tourists to come to it. The specialization of many countries is directly related to the availability of natural resources to offer to foreign visitors. They exclusively characterize the location of the country and are decisive for the flow of international tourists. Thus, the presence of excellent sea beaches and a sunny climate in the Mediterranean countries generate tourist flows to their resorts from developed countries such as Austria, Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland, etc. And the Spaniards and Greeks satisfy their demand for skiing in Switzerland or Austria , Italy. An important motive for the arrival of foreign tourists is the historical and cultural heritage of the country. Tourists from all over the world come to Paris to admire the mysterious smile of Mona Lisa or admire the grandeur of Notre Dame Cathedral.

3. The cost of natural resources and historical and cultural monuments depends on their availability and quality characteristics. Consequently, depending on the degree of accessibility to these resources and their exploitation for tourism purposes, they acquire economic importance.

The geography of prospects for donor regions in tourism is very contradictory; it was assessed in three categories:

Low - below 3% growth per year

Average - between 3% and 4% growth per year

High - exceeding 4% growth per year

The state of development of international tourism at the present stage

The tourism industry is one of the most dynamically developing forms in international trade in services. The importance of tourism in the world is constantly increasing, which is associated with the growing influence of tourism on the economy of each individual country.

Analysis of international tourism development trends allows:

Identify those countries and regions where international tourism is increasing and those where it is decreasing;

Explain the reasons for the large differences in the geographical distribution of tourist flows and tourism income;

Identify countries where international tourism has great potential to become an important element of economic development.

The main statistical indicator of international tourism is the total number of tourist arrivals in all countries of the world during a calendar year.

Despite short-term fluctuations in certain periods, the development of international tourism is characterized by stable, dynamic growth. Intensive international tourism is based on the following prerequisites:

Economic and social progress, especially in industrialized countries, which has made it possible to significantly increase the level of wages and pensions, as well as increase the duration of vacations for the population of these countries;

Improving means of transport, speeding up and reducing the cost of transporting tourists as a result;

Easing customs, currency restrictions, border formalities, as well as their abolition (in particular, between the countries of the European Union);

Creation of a powerful tourism industry;

Significant growth in business travel.

In the economy of the state, international tourism performs a number of important functions:

1. International tourism is a source of foreign exchange earnings for the country and a means of providing employment.

2. International tourism expands its contributions to the country's balance of payments and GNP.

3. International tourism contributes to the diversification of the economy by creating industries that serve the tourism sector.

4. With the growth of employment in the tourism sector, the income of the population increases and the level of well-being of the nation increases.

International tourism is one of the three largest export industries, behind the oil industry and the automobile industry, whose share in world exports is 11% and 8.6%, respectively. International tourism in the world is extremely uneven, which is primarily explained by different levels of socio-economic development of countries and regions. International tourism has received the greatest development in Western European countries and the countries of the Middle East. These regions account for over 70% of the world tourism market and about 60% of foreign exchange earnings. Approximately 20% comes from America, less than 10% from Asia, Africa and Australia combined. Tourism occupies a significant place in international relations. About 500 million people annually visit foreign countries for tourism purposes. International tourism is not only a popular form of recreation, but also an actively developing sector of the world economy.

So, international tourism, a characteristic feature of which is that a significant part of the services is produced locally at minimal cost, is playing an increasingly prominent role in the global economy. The tourism industry is one of the economic forwards that provides an impressive amount of added value. However, information on the development of international tourism is not absolutely accurate, since it is quite difficult to measure tourist flows. Due to the lack of a uniform way of recording them, the comparison of statistical data between countries is significantly complicated. Today, tourism is perceived as the most widespread phenomenon of the 21st century, as one of the most striking phenomena of our time, which really penetrates into all spheres of our lives and changes the world and landscape around us. Tourism has become one of the most important factors in the economy, so we see it as more than just a trip or vacation. This concept is much broader and represents a set of relationships and the unity of connections and phenomena that accompany a person on his travels. High rates of tourism development and large volumes of foreign exchange earnings actively influence various sectors of the economy, which contributes to the formation of our own tourism industry. These days, one cannot help but notice the enormous impact that the tourism industry has on the global economy. An important feature of the current stage of tourism development and changes in its organizational forms is the penetration of transport, trade, industrial, banking, insurance and other companies into the tourism business. The intensive development of international tourist relations has entailed the creation of numerous international organizations and the promotion of better organization of this area of ​​international economic relations.

Based on all of the above, we can name the main features of tourism development in the coming decade:

Further growth in international tourism activity indicators;

The constant influence of the economic and political situation in the world on tourism;

The determining factors of tourism will be sociodemographic changes, electronic information and communication systems;

Popularization of the activities of tour operators engaged in both global and medium and small businesses;

One of the most popular regions of stay will apparently be South and Southeast Asia. As part of this flow, the role of the international sector of Russia will be strengthened as a center for transit services from Western Europe, as well as the segment of outbound tourism from Russia to these regions. international tourism route antalya

Analysis of global trends in tourism development.

Modern economic science considers tourism as a complex socio-economic system, in which a diversified industrial complex, called the tourism industry, is only one of the components. Economic problems are analyzed in the context of the social and environmental aspects of tourism. Tourism (from French Torisme< Тоuг - прогулка, поездка) возник в тот период развития общества, когда потребность человека в получении информации о новых местах, в путешествии как средстве получения этой информации явилась объективным законом развития человеческого общества. Путешествие приносит человеку удовольствие и дает возможность отдохнуть. На определенном этапе развития экономики, когда потребность в путешествиях резко возросла, появились и производители этих услуг. Это привело к формированию товара особого типа - туризма, который можно купить и продать на потребительском рынке. Производители услуг, предназначенных для обслуживания туристов (путешествующих людей), объединились в отрасль «туризм». Туризм не является товаром первой жизненной необходимости, поэтому он становится насущной потребностью человека только при определенном уровне его дохода и при определенном уровне богатства общества. В настоящее время выделяют внутренний и международный туризм, причем внутренний туризм по степени охвата доминирует над международным. На долю внутреннего туризма приходится 75-80% общего числа туристов в мире, соответственно по финансовым результатам во многих странах он значительно превосходит иностранный. Исследования современных экспертов показывают, что состояние мировой индустрии туризма, несмотря на объективные трудности последних лет, в целом демонстрирует стабильность и сохраняет позиции крупнейшего, высокодоходного и быстро развивающегося сектора мировой экономики. Этим объясняется повышенный интерес к сфере туризма со стороны правительств большинства стран мира, имеющих влиятельные структуры исполнительной власти для обеспечения эффективной государственной политики его развития. В ближайшие годы туристские рынки развитых индустриальных стран будут стабильно расти вследствие увеличения доступности туризма для более широких слоев общества и частоты туристских поездок. Для новых и развивающихся туристских рынков характерны тенденции сохранения динамичного роста и соответствующего увеличения бюджетных доходов в ближайшее десятилетие. Ожидается постепенное смещение акцентов в развитии туризма от традиционных рынков Западной Европы, США, Японии и Канады к альтернативным рынкам, таким как Центральная и Восточная Европа, включая Россию, Китай, Южная Корея, Мексика, а также некоторые страны Ближнего Востока

Forecast of distribution of inbound tourism volumes by regions of the world (international tourist arrivals, million people)

By 2020, according to forecasts, Europe will retain its leading position, meanwhile, the countries of East Asia are steadily progressing in the tourism market, the share of countries in this region is increasing with each five-year period. One of the most significant trends in the development of world tourism is a sharp increase in competition in the tourism offer market as a result of the emergence of an increasing number of growing countries with ambitious plans to attract tourists, as well as oversaturation of the same type of tourist offer in the market. As a result, countries seeking to maintain or strengthen their positions in the international market plan tourism based on the principles of sustainable development, provide for long-term investments in this area and have clear government strategies for tourism development. The main components of strategies that are used in world practice: a detailed analysis of their own markets with an assessment of the relationship between traditional and promising directions, taking into account global trends and the multiplier effect of tourism development, conducting annual international campaigns under certain memorable slogans, as well as the widespread use of advanced information technologies such as a basic platform for communication with consumers of tourism services. The tourism sector, with successful development, can become one of the key elements that allows creating conditions for achieving the strategic development goals of the country, namely, increasing the well-being of the population based on dynamic and sustainable economic growth, ensuring employment of the population, increasing the level of satisfaction of social and spiritual needs, and building capacity for the future development of the state and strengthening Russia’s international positions. Subject to effective government policy, the tourism industry ensures an increase in the quality of services, stimulates the development of human capital, improves the quality of life, and creates and improves infrastructure.

Tourism acts as an “invisible” product. A characteristic feature and unique advantage of tourism services as a product is that a significant part of these services is produced locally at minimal cost. Recently, tourism has acquired the significance of a social phenomenon. It moved from the category of an elite product to the category of a product available to the consumer. At the initial stage of its development, tourism was considered as an element of socio-cultural influence. Nowadays it is considered an economic and massive social phenomenon. In the future, tourism is projected to grow by 45.8%. Based on the growth rate of tourist routes and those willing to participate in this process, it can be concluded that tourism will develop at a high rate, exceeding the rate of development of the main sectors of national economies.

DYNAMICS OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT OVER THE XX CENTURY.

In the 20th century All types of tourism developed organically. The development of transport proceeded at a very rapid pace in the last century, which had an extremely beneficial effect on the development of tourism. By 1900, railroads could offer all the amenities of modern life: electric lighting, steam heating, dining cars, and sleeping cars including bathrooms. But starting from the 20s. XX century its main competitor is the car.

Until 1940, travel abroad was carried out mainly by water transport. During five- to six-day voyages to New York or shorter ones from continental Europe to England, passengers of 1st and 2nd classes were offered gourmet cuisine and all kinds of entertainment programs. From the second half of the twentieth century. For long distances they prefer to travel by plane.

But at the same time, international and city bus routes combined into extensive networks are more popular than trains and planes combined. The bus industry generates billions of dollars annually by transporting travelers long and short distances. In the last two decades, the bus industry has begun to focus on developing tour-related programs.

There are several types of tours. These include charter flights, which are typically used by clubs and organizations to serve school parties, sporting events, visits to museums, shopping centers, etc. Air travel began in 1935, and became widespread from the mid-1950s. s, when regular passenger routes appeared. And if earlier airlines were classified as local, regional, national and international, now they are classified according to annual turnover. The largest of them, for example ICAO, IATA, have an annual turnover exceeding $1 billion.

Youth tourism has always been one of the most active components in the tourism industry. Issues of youth tourism are supervised, in particular, by the International Federation of Young Travelers' Organizations, which arose in 1951 under the auspices of UNESCO. In the second half of the twentieth century. Such types of tourism as youth, “third age”, and pilgrimage began to gain popularity. In general, by the end of the twentieth century. tourism has developed significantly throughout the world.

Section 8

Regionalization of international tourism. Experts of the World Tourism Organization, based on a detailed study of the geography and state of tourism in the countries of the world, grouped them based on similarities not only in natural-geographical, socio-cultural, but also in the commonality of the political and socio-economic situation in these countries. 6 world tourism regions were identified.

1. European – all European countries, as well as all countries of the former Soviet Union, including the Central Asian republics and Kazakhstan. This also includes the Mediterranean region, which includes countries such as Turkey, Cyprus and Israel.
2. Asia-Pacific – all countries of North and South-East Asia, as well as Australia and all countries of Oceania.
3. South Asian – all countries of South Asia.
4. Middle Eastern – countries of western and southwestern Asia, as well as Egypt and Libya.
5. African – all African countries, with the exception of Egypt and Libya.
6. American – all countries of North and South America, as well as all island countries and territories of the Caribbean.

The importance of the geopolitical situation for the formation of tourist flows. Currently, international tourism is developing in accordance with certain laws and taking into account the influence of certain factors, among which natural, climatic and socio-economic ones are important, including the level of development and structure of the production and non-production sphere of a certain region, standard of living, political stability; demographic; infrastructural, which are determined by the level of development of production and social infrastructure; as well as geopolitical factors.

It is clear that any destabilization of the political situation in the country leads to an immediate reduction in tourist flows, since tourists do not want to expose themselves to danger, especially in an unfamiliar environment. The geopolitical factor seriously influences the development of tourism in each specific region. The WTO expresses concern about political instability in some countries, as in such conditions there is a threat to the personal safety of tourists.

WTO experts have identified three types of destabilization of the tourism industry, which is caused by political reasons or a threat to the personal safety of tourists. Firstly, this is a global long-term destabilization caused by military operations or continuous terrorist attacks. Examples of this include countries or territories such as Lebanon, Northern Ireland, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Algeria, Afghanistan, and Israel. Military conflicts quickly destroy a developed tourism industry, as recently happened in the former Yugoslavia, Iraq and other countries of the world. Other extreme circumstances, such as hostile propaganda or a short-term political crisis, may also contribute to this. Regional wars sometimes not only hinder the development of tourism, stopping tourist flows, but also directly contribute to the destruction of the tourism resources of their countries. Military conflicts in the Middle East have affected tourist flows - they have sharply decreased, despite the abundance of historical, cultural and religious monuments. The same thing happened in Lebanon due to the escalation of tensions in the region. Before the outbreak of the 1975 war, tourism revenues provided Lebanon with 20% of the total national product; in 1996, it was less than 8%. Algeria was almost completely closed to tourists - the terror of local Islamists made the stay of foreigners in the country deadly dangerous.

The decline in tourism occurs not only in the countries of the Islamic region, but also in prosperous Europe as a whole. The tourism infrastructure in the republics of the former Yugoslavia, in particular, was one of the most developed in Europe. The civil war, which lasted 5 years, practically destroyed the tourism business in Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina. There has been a sharp reduction in the volume of tourist flows, as well as their reorientation from the European Mediterranean to other regions of the world.

Secondly, the development of the tourism industry is negatively affected by constant tension and uncertainty in tourist routes. Outbreaks of violence and religious extremism in Egypt, India, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Peru, South Africa, the Philippines or Turkey can lead to destabilization and redistribution of tourist flows in favor of calmer countries.

Today's Egypt is practically the only Muslim country open to mass tourism. Of course, there are a number of problems associated with Islamic traditions.

And finally, thirdly, even isolated events of terrorism and short-term unrest can lead to the destabilization of tourism, as happened during the unrest in China, France, Japan, and Great Britain. The suppression of student demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in China in 1989, a bomb explosion at London Heathrow Airport, the spraying of poisonous sarin gas by cultists in Tokyo in 1996, a series of explosions in the Paris metro in 1996–1997, terrorists taking hostages in the Nord -Osta" in Moscow (2002), explosions on the island of Bali (2002) - these and many other cases of terrorism negatively affected the development of tourism and led to a decline in tourist flow. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 seriously aggravated the international situation and for the first time since the notorious 1982, marked by the military crisis in Poland, the Falklands War, the armed conflict between Israel and Lebanon, and the oil crisis, there was a decline in international tourism profits.

Thus, tourism in countries experiencing serious political unrest or civil war cannot exist until the situation stabilizes. In case of less serious geopolitical circumstances, governments and tourism industry leaders can find a way out of the crisis by forming state or international tourism development programs.

The problem of ecology of modern tourism. Tourism as a form of human activity is associated with the performance of certain functions. Tourist trips contribute to the development of new forms of behavior and provide an opportunity to test one’s abilities, for example, the ability to adapt to a non-urbanized environment, extreme conditions, and dangerous situations. International tourism organizations noted that in 2000, demand for tourism related to visiting cultural and historical attractions continued to grow, with the state of the environment in the country of temporary residence being one of the dominant factors in the formation of the tour. People strive to find themselves in places that are environmentally friendly, rich in cultural and historical monuments. The most attractive places for tourists are places that carry “positive” energy. But a tourist must also take care of nature and historical and cultural monuments.

Here is a typical example. In picturesque places in France and Spain, almost next to the beaten tourist routes, there are caves with ancient rock paintings. Most of the discovered and studied rock art sites, and more than 140 of them are known to date, are concentrated in the Franco-Cantabrian region - in the mountains of Southern France and Northern Spain, as well as in the Dordogne province in France. In Spain, such caves and grottoes as the famous Altamira, Castillo, Pasiega, Covalanas, and Pindal attract the attention of researchers. In the French part of the Pyrenees, the most famous are the Nio cave with the famous Black Salon, the Istürlitz cave with a five-meter relief of a reindeer and reliefs of other animals, and the Three Brothers Cave, named after its explorers, with a mysterious image of an anthropomorphic figure with animal ears, a tail, deer antlers, as well as a number other caves. In the valley of the Weser River, the Font de Gaume cave is well known, on the walls of which, according to experts, is the best painting of the Paleolithic era. In the south of France there is also a whole complex of cave galleries: Lascaux, Combarel, La Mout.

Archaeological research in the territory of the former USSR has brought interesting discoveries. On the territory of Russia, in the Kapova Cave (in Bashkir Shulgan-Tash), the most ancient drawings were found. The visual complex of the Kapova Cave, according to experts, is close in style to Franco-Cantabrian primitive art, the monuments of which are located many thousands of kilometers away in Western Europe. The cultural value of examples of Paleolithic art is beyond doubt. It is all the more sad to realize that the caves (especially the Ural ones) have suffered from barbaric human actions, which has led to the fact that almost all monuments of primitive culture are closed to tourists.

The development of tourism has its downside. By invading nature, man has a certain impact on it. Sometimes it is destructive. It is known how much inconvenience “hordes” of photo safari lovers cause in national reserves and parks. On the coasts of many resort areas, which are built up with small campsites and huge hotels, numerous entertainment complexes, there are clear signs of natural degradation.

Increasing flows of tourists wanting to “have a cultural time”, with a careless, uncultural attitude towards the property of the host countries, force their governments to take restrictive measures, as was done, for example, in relation to the Colosseum and Acropolis. Many countries with a developed tourism industry are constantly increasing their spending on environmental and cultural protection measures. UNESCO in the second half of the 20th century. proposed to develop a program to preserve cultural monuments from tourists. One of the members of an international tourism organization sadly remarked on this matter: “Perhaps the ideal would be to ensure that several million people remain “culturally underdeveloped” and never see La Gioconda.” The barbaric, careless attitude of tourists towards the property of the countries they visit is a serious problem, the solution of which is possible only by cultivating in a person a culture of communication, including with nature, i.e. ecological culture.

The impact of tourism on the sociocultural environment. Tourism cannot but influence the life of the local population, its activities, social behavior, and culture. Modern international tourism promotes active socio-cultural transformations in different countries of the world. It promotes the transition from a traditional way of life to modern forms of post-industrial society with all its inherent attributes. This may lead to certain conflicts with long-standing cultural practices. Unfortunately, the development of tourist contacts is accompanied by an increase in crime, prostitution, including child prostitution, and the consumption of alcohol and drugs. The International Labor Organization estimates that between 3 million and 19 million children and adolescents are not legally employed in the tourism industry.

Recently, the concept of “culture shock” has come up quite often. Signs of culture shock can be observed among those travelers who find themselves on vacation in a completely unfamiliar country for the first time. Such a reaction from a traveler can be minimized if he is prepared for a meeting with a different sociocultural reality, informed in advance about the basic norms of behavior in public places, etc.

Representatives of the local population may experience similar reactions in cases where their territory suddenly becomes a place of pilgrimage for foreign tourists. A situation of culture shock is often provoked by the blatant ignorance of tourists, their lack of knowledge of local customs, traditions, religious and everyday characteristics, which leads to cultural misunderstanding and rejection of the parties, and increased tension. In this case, organizers of tourism activities must take certain measures to neutralize this syndrome among residents. These facts force us to formulate a tourism strategy that would have a beneficial impact on the culture of the host countries. Specific tasks, according to experts, should include socio-economic and cultural innovations. The culture of intensive consumption in tourism should be replaced by a culture of smart growth, balancing economic and environmental factors, identifying and taking into account the common interests of tourists and local people, and distributing the profits received from tourism among all members of society, and especially among the poorest and most disadvantaged categories population.

Cultural tourism of our time. Intensive processes of urbanization, manifested in the acceleration of the pace of life, intense professional activity against the backdrop of developing physical inactivity and a reduction in interpersonal contacts, lead to the formation of rigid stereotypes of the life of a modern person, which have a detrimental effect on his physical condition and psyche, contributing to the emergence of stressful situations. It is quite difficult for a person to maintain the pace of life in modern cities, and he needs a change of environment to restore physical and spiritual strength. Tourism performs a compensatory function in relation to a sedentary, predominantly urban lifestyle. Tourism helps people combine relaxation with knowledge of the life, history, and culture of other peoples. At the same time, it should be noted that tourism is as complex and multifaceted a concept as culture. For some, tourism is travel for the sake of entertainment, the art of satisfying a wide variety of needs that encourage a person to leave his habitual world from time to time. For others, it is a matter of national importance, associated with attracting large investments into the country’s economy and contributing to the prestige of the state.

Many types of modern tourism are focused on getting to know other peoples and their cultures. A special place is occupied by cultural tourism - a new type of tourism activity, a modern form of intercultural communications.

Cultural tourism is a form of interaction, cultural exchange, which involves targeted immersion in the cultural environment with the aim of mastering it.
The basis of cultural tourism is the need to get acquainted with the culture of both one’s own people and the peoples of other countries. In this case, travel acts as a means of introducing people to universal human values ​​through their own internal experience, through emotional individual experiences. They make it possible to perceive the cultural picture of the world in the unity of feeling and thought. Consequently, a feature of cultural tourism is the formation of a holistic understanding of history and culture, promoting the development of dialogue and interaction between cultures.

In 2000, the St. Petersburg Economic Forum was held, at which a round table “Culture and Tourism: Development Strategy and International Cooperation” was held, where recommendations were proposed for the development of tours that specifically introduce the achievements of Russian and world civilizations. One of the programs provided for the formation of a complex of tours dedicated to the celebration of the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg in 2003.

Professional education in the field of tourism and hospitality industry. The word “tourism” first appeared in the title of an American curriculum in
1963 at the University of Michigan. But by this time, a system of training and advanced training of personnel for tourism and the hospitality system already existed in the United States and other countries.

The World Tourism Organization published in 1992 the first worldwide directory of educational tourism institutions, which included more than 130 tourism educational programs in 77 countries. But only 10 of them were awarded the official international quality mark and received WTO support.

In the second half of the 20th century. Several European and international organizations have been created that deal with the support and development of national and international vocational education systems. These include the Association of Schools of Hotel Business and Catering - a pan-European organization created in 1989 on the basis of the School of Hotel Business in Koksijde (Belgium). The main activities of this association are the organization of annual conferences for cooperation between educational institutions and representatives of the hotel and restaurant business; organizing seminars for teachers and European exams for the purpose of obtaining the European Diploma in Management. The association includes about 80 educational institutions of this profile from various European countries. The governing body is the Board of Directors, consisting of representatives of the respective countries. In 1991, the European Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS) was founded in the Netherlands. This association currently has more than 70 members from 50 countries.
Its headquarters are at Tilburg University. ATLAS annually organizes and conducts international conferences, creates a database of research programs and professional educational programs in the field of tourism and leisure, exchanges student and youth groups between members of the association, develops international cooperation in this area, etc. The WTO also pays great attention to issues of vocational education . In June 2002, the WTO Education Council meeting in Madrid emphasized that increased professionalism was a key element in ensuring quality and competitiveness. The WTO Education Council includes about 100 universities, business schools and training centers around the world, which allows it to act as the competent WTO body that develops programs to solve problems in tourism education. In addition to short-term courses, research activities in the field of vocational education extend to the development of innovative technologies in the field of quality education.

The influence of global processes on the state of modern tourism. Tourism is closely related to trends in overall economic development. Economic ups and downs affect the tourism market, although each country may experience it differently. The tourism market is very sensitive to economic changes occurring both in the world as a whole and in a particular region.

Starting from the Great Depression of the 30s to modern energy crises, fluctuations in the indicators of tourism activity and the development of the hotel industry practically coincide with rising energy prices, falling rates of national currencies, rising unemployment among the population and other negative factors in the economy, since changes in prices for tourism and the tourist product are determined both by the income of potential tourists and by the pricing factors for these products and services. Second half of the 20th century was a period when prices for tourism products rose more slowly than inflation. The growth in the flow of travelers was also facilitated by the production of more spacious and comfortable aircraft, as well as measures taken by international and national tourism organizations aimed at developing the tourism market.

Demographic and social changes in the structure of society also affect the volume and forms of demand for the tourism product. In economically developed countries, where the well-being of the population is growing, the number of people who are willing and able to spend money and time on travel is increasing. Certain surges and falls in the birth rate led to a drop in the population aged 15–20 years; there were more middle-aged and older people with greater financial resources. An increase in life expectancy as a result of increased concern for people's health is noted, for example, in Japan. If in 1970 people over 65 years of age made up about 7% of the population, then by the end of the century this figure had increased by more than 15%. In Japan, the number of working women is growing and, providing family income, they become potential tourists. The market for tourism services is also influenced by trends in modern society such as late marriages and the growing number of childless couples. Changes in the social model, such as reducing immigration restrictions, increasing the duration of paid holidays, and earlier retirement, also contribute to the development of the tourism market.

By the end of the 20th century. In developed countries, the cultural and educational level of the population is increasing. This is accompanied by the emergence of a persistent tendency towards intercultural communications, towards the expansion of scientific, sports, scientific, technical, business and other ties. The latest communication technologies make contacts possible with almost all areas of the world, in all areas of communication. The world is becoming extremely cosmopolitan, which is having an impact on the tourism business.

In October 1997, the 12th General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (WTO) was held in Istanbul. The report “Tourism - Panorama of 2020” was presented, which highlighted the main trends in the development of world tourism, including increased competition between regions in attracting tourists; the continued concentration of production of services and goods in tourism; active promotion of capital of a number of tourism companies to foreign markets, as well as modernization of technology for the production of tourism services, introduction of new communication systems and computer technologies in the tourism and hospitality industry.

Tourism can contribute to the economic development of countries if environmental standards are respected. As an independent industry, tourism is subject to processes characteristic of the entire world economy. By rationally using historical and cultural monuments in combination with natural resources, international tourism helps to increase the level of employment and stimulates the growth of production of many goods and services. Currently, tourism employs 12% of the working population, and expenditures on it account for more than 11% of global GNP. In the tourism industry, a new job is created every 2.5 seconds. The number of tourists is also increasing rapidly (since 1950, their number has increased more than 20 times). Defining the prospects for the development of inbound and outbound tourism as generally good, experts from international and national tourism organizations note that the future fate of international tourism depends on the economic and geopolitical situation in the world, socio-demographic changes that cannot but affect the tourism and hospitality industry.

The tourism industry is one of the most sensitive to various types of disasters and stress. The global financial crisis of 2008-2009 had a huge impact on all sectors of the economy, including tourism. Events that occur in global financial markets affect the commercial real estate market, including the hotel segment. Many companies are “freezing” or selling their projects, which include hotel space.

Due to the low pace of construction and commissioning of new hotel space, in the coming years the shortage of hotel rooms will continue, primarily in the “highest” segment, which during the crisis has become even less attractive for investors, since the risk is high.

In crisis situations in the tourism and hotel industry, the main methods of stimulating tourist activity can be identified:

• - reduction in prices for tourist accommodation;
• - increase in funds for advertising campaigns in the main markets;
• - creation of a favorable political and investment image of these countries.

In the medium term, business and corporate tourism is also expected to decline significantly, which will be more affected by the global economic downturn than leisure and health travel. This is explained, first of all, by massive layoffs in large companies.

Not only the general economic downturn, but also rising food and fuel prices will play an important role in aggravating problems in the tourism sector. A healthy price reduction is a reduction associated with cheaper fuel and hotel costs in host countries.

According to forecasts, tourists will choose closer, inexpensive destinations, preferring routes within their own country or neighboring countries using more economical vehicles. The duration of trips, their frequency, expenses during travel will also decrease, and the number of package tours, including to beach resorts, will decrease. At the same time, the number of trips booked independently will increase, mainly with accommodation with friends or relatives. High-income consumers will not give up travel.

Positive trends are expected in the educational tourism market. The opportunity to combine a foreign trip with education, language learning, and advanced training will be considered by consumers as a profitable investment to improve their own level, for successful employment, and career advancement. When choosing between regular vacations and educational programs abroad, in conditions of economic instability, consumers will give preference to educational programs.

Public Relations (PR) is a planned long-term effort aimed at creating and maintaining friendly relations and mutual understanding between an organization and the public, organizing public opinion for the purpose of the most successful functioning of the enterprise and increasing its reputation.

PR in tourism can be divided into two main areas: the activities of countries to attract tourists and the activities of travel companies to attract clients. The reasons, conditions and methods of PR campaigns in these two areas differ.

The main reasons why government tourism departments resort to PR campaigns are the following:

• - a large number of countries offering the same type of holiday
• - various events that negatively affect the country’s image in the eyes of tourists (for example, the threat of terrorist attacks)
• - the emergence of new countries and new tourist destinations.

From the point of view of tourism, all countries of the world can be divided into 3 groups:

• 1. countries for which tourism is not a significant source of income, and therefore have little interest in additionally attracting tourists.
• 2. “prosperous” countries - for them tourism is a significant source of income, and tourists actively visit them.
• 3. “disadvantaged” countries - tourism is an important source of income for them, but the flow of tourists is declining due to a negative image formed for some reason.

The countries of the third group are of greatest interest. These are countries whose income is heavily dependent on tourism, but which have an unstable reputation (Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus, Israel). They offer a fairly comfortable and inexpensive holiday, but various events taking place in these countries regularly scare away tourists.

By positioning its services, Israel is trying to find a unique niche. Nowadays, when hearing the word “Israel,” most tourists conjure up an image of a country with a unique cultural heritage and some of the best sanatoriums and hospitals in the world. Even the threat of war and terrorist attacks periodically recedes into the background. Although, it should be noted that politicians and leaders of the tourism business could not find the same compromise here as in Cyprus - regular political upheavals and the difficulty of obtaining a visa scare off many tourists.

The safest countries for tourists: ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao), Singapore, Iceland, Switzerland, Bhutan, New Zealand, Ireland, Cyprus, Dubai.

Among the methods of PR activities, the main general directions can be identified:

Work with the media (articles in newspapers and magazines, work with radio and television). In general, the effectiveness of various types of advertising, according to surveys, gave the following results: 75% consider newspapers to be the most effective, 25% consider television to be the most effective. Printed non-specialized media are a reserve that, if used correctly, can give stunning results.

Release of information materials (since work on a particular country is most hindered by the lack of information about it). Modern tourists are quite demanding and want to know as much as possible about the place they are going to. The receipt of information booklets and other materials directly from the tourism department of a country facilitates the work of the tourism operator and increases the influx of tourists into the country.

Conducting seminars (fairs, workshops) is an important element of PR activities. Typically, seminars are held in the main area of ​​the company's activities. These are free meetings in a fairly informal atmosphere over a cup of coffee, during which representatives of the organizing company talk about the features of their destination (for example, country), various resorts, features of visa and customs clearance, as well as other details that can help in the work.

Organizing promotional trips for clients and employees of travel agencies. For clients, this is a cheap or almost free trip with a certain set of excursions. To obtain it, the client usually must participate in a lottery or answer questions about the country. The purpose of such a promotion is to create a good impression of the country on the client, which he will then pass on to his friends and acquaintances. For travel agency employees, this is also an almost free trip. The purpose of such an action is also to create a good impression of the country, familiarize potential agents with recreation opportunities and establish business connections.

In tourism advertising, oral advertising plays a large role. Positive tourist information is distributed with an efficiency coefficient of 7, and negative information with a coefficient of 22. Thus, any customer complaints regarding the service provided are distributed three times faster than positive reviews. Hence the conclusion: there is no better advertising agent than a satisfied client.

The basis of innovation activity in all sectors of the economy is the implementation of scientific and technological progress. Tourism, being a global socio-economic phenomenon operating in conditions of sometimes very fierce competition, is characterized by a high degree of susceptibility to innovative processes, the adherence to which is often the main factor determining the competitiveness of tourism organizations.

The main directions of innovative activity in the field of tourism:

• - release of new types of tourism products, restaurant products, hotel services, etc.;
• - use of new equipment and technology in the production of traditional products;
• - use of new tourism resources that have not been used before (for example, tourist travel on spaceships);
• - changes in the organization of production and consumption of traditional tourism, restaurant products, hotel services, etc.; new marketing, new management;
• - identification and use of new markets for products (hotel and restaurant chains).

The scientific and technological revolution not only became the material basis for the formation of mass tourism. It has had a huge impact on innovation in socio-cultural services and tourism through high technologies, which include new materials, microprocessor technology, information and communications, and biotechnology. Private businesses that invest in scientific research, the acquisition of necessary equipment and the development of tourism infrastructure are usually provided with a variety of tax incentives, government loans and guarantees, as well as financing through government equity participation.

According to WTO experts, the global tourism industry is entering a period of constantly increasing volumes of travel and excursions and increasing competition among regions and host countries. At the same time, a large number of well-informed consumers of tourism services appear, paying attention to the quality and safety of the offered tourism product. The further development of the global tourism market is increasingly determined by the latest information technologies.

There is another modern trend in the world - the growth of accommodation facilities offering self-service. The desire of tourists to be independent when traveling, the high cost of selecting, training and maintaining service personnel imply that high levels of service will be justified only in the elite sector of the tourism market. Currently, group tour packages in the Western tourism market are, as a rule, used only by young single people, tourists with limited financial resources, pensioners and pilgrims.

In the near future, the following directions for the development of the tourism industry can be predicted:

• - creation of new and development of existing tourism services and markets, taking into account the state of tourism (natural, cultural and historical) resources in the countries where tourists are visiting;
• - wide involvement of the local community and municipal authorities in the planning and development of tourism activities, ensuring its safety;
• - development of connections between tourism organizers and municipal structures in order to achieve an understanding of the needs of each of them and find ways to satisfy them;
• - growth in the well-being of the local population, elimination of tax, customs and other difficulties that may hinder the development of tourism; in this case, special attention should be paid to maintaining prices for tourism services at levels that are acceptable for tourists and beneficial for the tourism industry;
• - when investing capital, environmental protection issues (construction, architecture, anthropogenic loads) should be taken into account;
• - implementing more precise marketing and allocating more resources to promote services, searching for specific groups of tourists and organizing targeted information for them on the services offered;
• - increasing the professional level of employees in the tourism industry;
• - development of a system of ownership of club holidays (timeshare). Recently, along with traditional types of tourism, a type of tourism industry called the vacation ownership system, better known as timeshare, has become increasingly influential. The concept of a timeshare is associated with the offer to everyone to spend a vacation for a set period of time each year in a certain place of residence (club), which is part of a tourist complex.

By paying a one-time fee for the right to relax in a certain place for one or several weeks, the buyer receives the right of residence secured by the contract. On the one hand, the sale of vacation weeks guarantees the occupancy of recreation centers (clubs) throughout the year, on the other hand, entire regions benefit from, as a rule, quite wealthy vacationers.

There is also a trend towards concentration of activity in the travel industry, which consists of the emergence of a small number of major, global operators and a significant number of smaller travel agencies occupying their niches in the relevant segments of the tourism market. It is assumed that the activity of the latter will be limited to the individual country visited.

The main conclusion is obvious: to succeed in tourism in the next century, a professional approach to organizing the production, promotion and sale of tourism products is required, based on the needs of the client and compliance with legal requirements.

At the WTO conference in Lisbon, based on the results of the “Tourism: 2020 Vision” study, five promising tourist destinations of the 21st century were proclaimed.

• 1. Adventure tourism. There are fewer and fewer regions in the world unexplored by tourists. True romantics are attracted to the farthest points of the Earth, mountain peaks and the depths of the sea. New tourism needs necessitate the development of a tourism product that corresponds to them. The organization of hikes to the highest mountain peaks in the world will continue. Since 1985, 46 submarines began operating for tourism purposes. In 2010, more than 2 million tourists took part in submarine travel, generating $147 billion in revenue for tour operators. The world has begun production of submarines with a transparent hull, which gives an excellent overview of the underwater depths. In August 1998, such a submarine set its course in the North Atlantic to the site of the Titanic wreck. The most attractive point on the edge of the Earth is Antarctica. 10 thousand tourists have already visited this ice continent. The cost of a tour to Antarctica is from 10 to 16 thousand US dollars. Australia is deciding whether to turn its three research bases in Antarctica into tourist centers. Britain, New Zealand and Russia have opened bases in Antarctica for travelers arriving by boat.
• 2. Cruises. This tourism sector is growing at a phenomenally fast pace. In 2010, about 12 million people traveled on cruise ships along sea and river routes; in 2020, the number of tourists is expected to be 20 million people. 42 eight-deck cruise ships with a displacement of 250 thousand tons and a capacity of up to 6,200 passengers each are being built around the world.
• 3. Ecotourism. The main goal of ecotourism is to preserve the environment. You can organize both thematic familiarization tours for ecotourism lovers and tours for vacationers at resorts, with visits to national reserves. Part of the proceeds from ecotourism is used to finance nature conservation projects.
• 4. Cultural and educational tourism. The largest flows of tourists traveling for educational purposes are observed in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. For small groups of tourists, educational tours can be organized in the form of one-day excursions with visits to cultural monuments. In connection with the increasing interest in educational tourism, the importance of protecting cultural monuments is increasing. It is necessary to apply effective measures to preserve cultural monuments and manage tourist flows.
• 5. Thematic tourism. This type of tourism involves increased interest in a specific phenomenon, for example, the climate of the area, which prevails over other tourist motives.

The popularity of theme parks as holiday destinations (several such parks are being built around the world) will increase every year. According to the WTO forecast, a tourism boom is expected in the 21st century: the number of travelers in the world will approach 1.6 billion by 2020 (612 million people traveled in 2010).

The largest British tourism publishing house, Travel & Tourism Intelligence (TTI), part of the Economist Intelligence Unit, published studies containing long-term, up to 2020, forecasts for the development of international tourism. Data from the 30 largest outbound markets, representing 90% of global tourism volume, were analyzed and forecasts were made regarding the number of tourists traveling abroad, the number of overnight stays and funds spent on foreign travel. According to the forecast, the growth rate of international tourism will decline. To assess the prospects for growth of tourist flows, it is customary to use the following indicators: low, below average, average, high and above average.

Europe, as a source and consumer of tourist flows, has an average indicator in the future, which reveals possible options for the development of regional tourism. For example, the prospects for outbound tourism from Europe to America, East and South Asia, and the countries of the Pacific Rim are assessed as above average, and to the Middle East region as below average, which is associated with economic difficulties and the low attractiveness of the countries located in it. According to the Travel & Tourism Intelligence (TTI) forecast, Europe as an outbound tourism region has a good growth base in all directions, with the exception of South Asia. However, growth in outbound tourism from Europe and the Mediterranean will slow markedly, while the rate of increase in outbound travel in Southeast Asia will remain quite strong, despite recent economic difficulties in the region. In 2000, tourism from Europe accounted for 69% of the total outbound tourism market, by 2008 its volume had fallen to 58%, and the forecast for 2020 gives a figure of 79%. The state of the European tourism market is influenced by the tendency for Europeans to prefer traveling around Europe.

America is below average both in terms of growth prospects within regional tourism and in tourist flows to South Asia and the Middle East. The dominant role of North America on the continent and the high share of recorded tourist flows within the framework of cross-border exchanges between the United States and Canada give a low assessment of the prospects for development within regional tourism.

South Asia experienced political instability in the 1990s, which caused a decline in outbound and inbound tourism. India's new industrial policy, reduced licensing practices and foreign exchange controls create favorable conditions for investment and economic development, which in turn provides financial opportunities not only for business travel, but also for leisure purposes. The prospects for outbound tourism from India can be assessed as an average. The main regions for receiving outbound tourism from South Asia will be East Asia and the Pacific Rim countries. The prospects for inbound tourism to South Asia are assessed as above average, despite political instability in the region that is unsafe for tourists, disruptions in air deliveries from the main countries supplying tourist flows, as well as a lack of funds for developing the tourism product and selling it abroad.

The Middle East has impressive economic growth in the future, which creates conditions for the growth of outbound tourism and allows it to be assessed as above average. Assessing the prospects for inbound tourism is problematic: on the one hand, stability in the region could enhance the growth of inbound tourism, on the other hand, the attractiveness of the region is unclear, and the process of studying and researching this situation is underway. The growth in inbound tourism to the Middle East will be carried out mainly as part of the development of regional tourism, but not at the expense of Europe and America.

Africa as a region consists of many subregions with established trends in tourism development for each of them. Challenges inherent to the continent limit the potential growth of regional tourism, so estimates refer to the average growth prospects for both outbound and inbound tourism. Average growth in inbound tourism to Africa will be driven by travel from Europe, America and the Middle East.

Countries in East Asia and the Pacific can be assessed in the future as being above average for both outbound and inbound tourism. The most received regions for outbound tourism from East Asia and the Pacific will be the subregions of the Latin American continent, as well as partner countries of East Asia, the Pacific (intra-regional tourism) and South Asia. This trend will continue due to high population growth in countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, as well as China expanding travel to neighboring countries. According to the WTO forecast, China will become the leading tourist destination in the world by 2020, overtaking the top five - France, the USA, Spain, Italy and the UK. So far, China ranks sixth (22 million arrivals). It is expected that with an annual increase of 8%, the number of tourist arrivals in China will reach 137.1 million by 2020.

The second most popular tourist destination will be the United States (102.4 million arrivals), followed by France (93.3 million), Spain (71.0 million) and Hong Kong (59.3 million). The UK will be in seventh place (52.8 million arrivals). In total, by 2020, the number of international arrivals will be 1.6 billion, which is 3 times higher than in 2010. Daily spending by tourists, excluding funds for air travel, will increase to $5 billion per day. According to the WTO forecast, rapid development of outbound tourism is expected. The largest countries supplying tourist flows will be Germany, Japan, the USA, China, and the UK. Russia, whose population received the opportunity to travel abroad on a large scale only in 1990, will supply 30 million tourists to the international market by 2020.

Big changes in the largest markets are expected in the structure of outbound tourism. The share of long-distance interregional trips will increase from 25% in 2010 to 35% in 2020. The growth trend is explained by the fact that people will travel more, they will no longer be satisfied with traditional destinations, they will give preference to the “new”. In addition, there is an emerging trend towards a further and fairly rapid reduction in the cost of long-distance travel, especially with the advent of new high-speed transport.

According to the WTO forecast, the number of foreign tourist trips will reach 964 million by 2020 (535 million in 2010), but will grow at a much slower pace. Major changes in demand are expected in many leading tourist supply markets. The economic weakness of the new political structures in Eastern Europe is a real obstacle to the involvement of the population of these countries in foreign tourism. The volume of tourism between Western and Eastern European countries will grow mainly in the direction from East to West. The expansion of the international tourism market will be facilitated by the efforts of EU countries aimed at developing such an underdeveloped sector as air transportation. It is necessary to overcome barriers of resistance on the part of national carriers of a number of EU countries. The EU's Open Skies policy aims to make minor adjustments to the airline sector's capacity to provide passengers with significantly lower prices and a greater choice of reliable airlines.

For developing countries, international tourism will become a source not only of foreign currency, but also of creating new jobs. At the same time, it brings changes to traditional systems and the natural environment. Today, international tourism is recognized as an economic tool, the use of which not only brings income to the country, but also problems. Almost all developing countries understand the feasibility of developing international tourism. The governments of these countries, when planning tourism development measures, must take into account the economic, social and cultural needs of the population. Particular attention should be paid to preserving the environment, which is the basis of tourism and requires industrial development.

Thus, the trends in the development of international tourism are positive. The growing interest of tourists in another culture, the abundance of advertising, and the availability of information contribute to increasing opportunities for communication between peoples, which allows people to better understand each other.

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INTRODUCTION
Relevance of the study. International tourism is growing and changing rapidly. This fact, on the one hand, opens up new opportunities, on the other hand, it constantly creates problems for people involved in the industry, which has now become the largest in the world.
Companies that already have experience in stimulating international tourism, as well as those who want to enter this segment, are faced with the fact that the tourism industry is changing.
Improving people's living standards and expanding opportunities for free movement around the world contribute to the emergence of millions of new international tourists;
New services are being offered to attract tourists. Transport companies began to provide more varied amenities and offer new exotic routes in the hope of transferring some of the financial flows from the growing business. Entrepreneurs, trying to expand their business, are developing new combinations that allow them to combine shopping with leisure, education with enlightenment, business with a cultural program, etc.
Modern information technologies open up new ways for trading services, booking places, as well as exploring various tourist centers (destinations) and attractions. The popularity of cruise tourism has increased enormously. All-inclusive holidays are becoming popular again.
It is important to note that in the 21st century the international tourism business has changed, expanded and transformed.
The tourism industry is so large and diverse, and changes occur so quickly, that the emergence of something new in any one corner of the world can become a development trend on the other side of the world, inevitably transforming and changing along the way in accordance with the peculiarities of perception and methods of implementation, inherent in various cultures around the globe.
All of the above determined the relevance of the study.
Object of study: international tourism.
Subject of research: The influence of tourism on socio-economic development, problems of international tourism, prospects for its development.
Purpose of the study: study trends in the development of international tourism.
The following tasks were set:
- define the concept of tourism;
- consider the classification of international tourism;
- consider the development of international tourism in Russia and the world:
- analyze the state of international tourism at the present stage.
- find out the prospects for the development of international tourism
In accordance with the purpose of the work and the assigned tasks, the work consists of an introduction, three chapters, a conclusion and a list of references. To write this work, I studied various theoretical sources, including textbooks and scientific publications.

1. INTERNATIONAL TURISI: ESSENCE AND CLASSIFICATION

1.1 DEFINITION OF TOURISM

1.2 CLASSIFICATION OF TOURISM

2. DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISM
2.1 DYNAMICS OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND ITS CURRENT STATE.
International tourist relations have become an integral part of the general process of internationalization of socio-economic relations. To date, the tourism industry has formed and is developing quite steadily in many countries.
The tourism industry is multifaceted. Many enterprises, firms and organizations are involved in serving tourists. Among tourism organizations, there are tour operators that produce tourism products and then sell them through travel agencies, which represent an extensive retail network. The emergence of the tour operator business is due to the fact that with the increasing possibilities of offering hotel and restaurant services, as well as in connection with the construction of new large tourist and resort centers, a tourist, having bought a tour that includes only accommodation and meals, does not have the opportunity to fully relax. Obviously, more significant amounts of money are spent by tourists on leisure and entertainment activities. In addition, tourists are not averse to playing sports and receiving additional resort, household and other services. Involving organizations, enterprises and firms providing such services in the field of tourism services, assembling a variety of thematic tours with a special set of services is one of the main tasks of tourism entrepreneurship.
There are many tour operators in international tourism. Currently, such firms are represented on the market in the form of small, medium-sized enterprises, as well as large corporations.
Currently, there is an active penetration of the capital of individual companies into foreign tourism markets. And with the introduction of the European single market, which provides for the free movement of capital, this process will become even more intense. The percentage of foreign participation in tourism companies in Holland, Belgium, Austria, and Spain is especially high. On the contrary, French, Italian and English companies demonstrate a reluctance to let “strangers” into their market.
German tour operators have spread their influence most widely, controlling a number of the largest companies outside their country. For example, the TUI concern has subsidiaries Terra Reisen in Austria and Ambassador Tour in Spain, a joint venture with the Austrian national airline - Turopa travel agency. The concern owns 40% of shares in the Arke Reitzep company (Netherlands) and 46% in the French Horus Tour. The second largest concern in Germany, NUR-Touristik, owns subsidiaries of the same name in Holland, Austria, Belgium and has a 25% stake in the Spanish company Iberojet.
Other well-known tour operators include: American Express, Carlson (USA); Thomson Tourism, Owners Broad Group, Airtours, Cook Travel Agency (UK); “Nouvelle Frontiers”, “Club Mediterrand”, “Voyage” (France); Scandinavian companies: Spice, Nordisk; Swiss: Interhome, Kuoni and many others.
Along with tour operators, many travel agencies operate in developed tourism countries, covering a large consumer market and competing with each other in the market. Currently, the average ratio of the number of travel agencies to the number of residents in the most developed tourism countries fluctuates around 1/10,000. This is a fairly high figure: there is one tourist office per 1 thousand inhabitants. For example, in the UK this figure is approximately 1:10 thousand, in the USA - 1:14 thousand, in Belgium - 1:10 thousand, in the Netherlands - 1:13.5 thousand.
This indicator is considered optimal, since, on the one hand, a fairly wide network of travel agencies makes the tourism sales market a consumer market, and on the other hand, competition, although quite tough, still does not take too complex forms. Another characteristic feature of the tourism market at the present stage is the concentration of production through the consolidation of individual production units and the concentration of a large number of enterprises within a monopolistic association.
An example of the concentration of production in tourism is the emergence of hotel chains. The formation of hotel chains plays a certain role; it allows us to promote high standards of service to the global hotel market, and also helps support hotel services for tourists.
A large number of international hotel chains are owned by the United States. For example, luxury chains: Hyatt, Hilton, West Inn, and middle class chains: Holiday Inn, Marriott, Sheraton, Ramada.
In addition to American hotel chains, such chains as “Ascor” (France), “Transthouse Fort” (Great Britain), “Club Meditrans” (France), “Gionp Sol” (Spain) are known in the world.
The concentration of production in the tourism industry contributed to the use of electronic computer technology and the introduction of automation in management. Today, automated systems are used to book hotel rooms, airline and train tickets, car rentals and other services needed while traveling. The use of automated management systems has led to a reduction in costs by reducing administrative and management costs, as well as simplifying the booking procedure.
Recent decades have seen significant changes in the world's tourism industry. So, for example, in 1950 there were 25.3 million arrivals in the world, in 1995 - 600 million arrivals, and in 2008 already 922 million. To date, tourism has received significant development throughout the world. True, its growth was uneven in different regions. The extremely high rate of development of world tourism was reduced by the economic crisis.
Table 1. Number of departures in 2009 compared to the same period in 2008.