Strategic directions of developing networking cooperation in the service sector of the Southern federal district

The goal of this article is to determine the strategic directions for developing networking cooperation in the service sector in order to encourage a sustainable market growth. The sanatorium and spa services are an element of the recreational industry of the Southern Federal District. They form the basis of health tourism in which leading health resorts of the constituent entities (regions) specialize. The article studies the main strategic areas of the regional development. The author identifies the problems and limitations of the development of the service sector associated with low rates of innovation and a differentiated level of the social and economic development of the territories. Only several regions in the district occupy leading positions in the country’s economy while the rest of the regions are depressed areas. The market potential of sanatorium and spa services is not used efficiently taking into account the growing needs of the population in medical and recreational services and the strategic goals of the regional development. The paper studies the indicators of the development of the sanatorium and spa industry of the country and the economic indicators of the Southern Federal District, regional sanatorium and resort institutions. The author identifies the perspective areas of networking cooperation which may affect implementing the district’s innovative development scenario. The basis of the networking cooperation in encouraging the sustainable growth of the market of sanatorium and spa services is presented by the relations with enterprises of linked industries, as well as educational, research and financial spheres. The paper determines the system of measures contributing to the development of the effective networking cooperation in the service market of the Southern Federal District.