Tourism development in the context of regional identity (the case of the Samara oblast)

Tourism development in the regions of Russia is an important area of the economy and social sphere modernization. This problem is of particular importance for the diversification of the industrial regions' economy, including the Samara Oblast. In modern research on tourism development, great importance is given to the brand of the region, its image in the media. Equally important is the local population's perception of the living conditions which is expressed in the inhabitants' regional identity. The purpose of the research is to study the problems of tourism development in conjunction with the value attitude of the population to the residence territory. The novelty of the approach is manifested in the fact that tourism is considered as an indicator of the regional identity of the population. The population's opinions about the benefits of living in the region make the prerequisites for creating the region's image which is attractive to tourists. On the other hand, the development of tourism in the region expands the availability of natural and socio-cultural heritage for both the visitors and the local population. The empirical basis of the study was the results of a questionnaire survey of the Samara Oblast's population. The research was devoted to the study of the Samara Oblast residents' opinions on regional identity. When analyzing the results, the groups of respondents depending on their opinions on tourism development were identified. The first group believes that tourism is well developed in the Samara Oblast. The second group is of the opposite opinion. An analysis of the results showed that respondents who consider tourism developed more often show a positive attitudetowards the region. They highlight the advantages of the region related to the level and quality of life, the socio-cultural development of the territory more often. The survey results show that when promoting regional tourism, it is necessary to pay attention to the formation of the population's regional identity. An insufficient level of these qualities development can adversely affect the tourist attractiveness of the region.