Analysing the quality of tourist and tourist service regional infrastructure: methodology

Characteristics ofthe infrastructure supporting the tourist sphere in the regions can be presented in a digitized format reflecting the data pertaining to (1) dichotomous qualitative characteristics, (2) score characteristics as multi-qualitative characteristics, and (3) quantitative characteristics. Thus presented, the data are easily processed and interpreted by the administra-tive, managerial and grass-root regional tourist industry personnel. The options for data organi-sation presented in the article allow not only to assess the comparative difference between regional tourist destinations and tourist service, but also to carry out an integral comparative analisys of the regions and recreational areas in terms of tourist infrastructure quality. The methodology proposed by the authors has been successfully applied to the context of collective accommodation facilities (CAFs) in a number of Southern-Federal-District-located regions. Application of the methodology includes the algorithm of dichotomous, score qualitative and quantitative characteristic processing, as well as a graphic interpretation ofthe ranking ofthe dichotomous characteristics of CAFs in the regions targeted by the research. The authors present the results ofthe analysis ofthe CAFs quality in the dichotomous, score and qualitative format, and conclude this method of data presentation to be universally applicable to tourist destinations, service and recreational facilities. To substantiate managerial decisions as applied to the research-targeted regions, the authors provide the results of the rating of factors detrimental to the tourist, tourist service and recreational-activity development. The authors claim that the methodology elaborated on in the article can be used for assessing the quality ofthe service of any regional tourist industry components, as well as an objective comparison and a region-wide analysis ofthe traveler-oriented service quality.