Trends in the consumption of tourist services in the Northwestern federal district regions

The Russian Federation is characterized by strong disproportions in the consumption of tourist products: the main demand of Russians falls on several destinations. In the context of fulfi lling the objectives of the national project “Tourism and Hospitality Industry”, it is of interest to identify the trends in the consumption of tourist services in the Northwestern Federal District, which is the aim of the research. For its implementation, we have carried out the analysis of demand for tourism services in the macroregion by its residents and citizens of the country as a whole, identifi ed the limitations and key risks of tourism services consumption, and proposed directions for tourism development in the subjects of the district. The results of the research allow establishing a signifi cant level of diff erentiation of tourism development in the subjects of the Northwestern Federal District. In the course of the analysis, we have identifi ed the territories of the district, in which it is possible to increase the consumption volume of tourist services, for which a set of relevant directions was proposed. The scientifi c novelty of the study lies in the necessity to reveal the modern regularities of the population’s consumption of tourist services in the NWFD and justifi cation of ways to develop regional tourism, contributing to the growth of demand for tourist products among the population and increasing their competitiveness. The information base is the works of scientists dealing with the problems of stimulating tourist consumption including the case study of the Northwestern Federal District, as well as data from state statistics the World Tourism Organization, the results of sociological surveys of the All-Russian Center for Public Opinion Research, and the Public Opinion Foundation. The research uses the methods of comparative analysis and synthesis, economic and statistical analysis. The materials of the article are of practical interest for authorities and management bodies, contributing to a better understanding of the current situation with regard to the trends in the consumption of tourist services by the population of the Northwestern Federal District in connection with the existing limitations of offi cial statistics and the subsequent development of directions for its stimulation.