STUDYING SPECIALIZATION AS A FACTOR IN TOURISM CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The importance of this research paper is that a significant number of tourism clusters established on the territory of the Russian Federation are not always successful as catalysts for the development of the tourism sector. This study aims to determine methods for conducting research on specialization as a factor in tourism cluster development, taking into consideration the existing research approaches and research findings in this area. The systematic, structural, functional and analysis methods were used, along with a general theoretic approach to researching tourism cluster development. The selected methods made it possible to identify approaches to forming research methodologies for studying tourism cluster specialization. Based on the presented approaches to examining specialization as a factor in the development of tourism clusters, it is possible to choose research methods and the coherence of research activities in this area. The methodology and coherence of research into tourism clusters was determined with a view to detect key development indicators for tourism development and various tourism-related processes taking place on the territory of a tourism cluster. The research findings will provide necessary tools and mechanisms for developing tourism clusters based on the diversification of their specialization. The findings of the study are directed at increasing the effectiveness of decisions taken to assess and forecast tourism cluster development and can also be of use to all those interested in this field. The materials of the present study can be used by regional administrations to monitor and make effective management decisions aimed at improving regional tourism development programs. Experts and scholars could also benefit from the findings of this study to analyze and develop projections and to promote topic-related methodological approaches. The article will be of practical value to specialists in tourism planning, tourism administration and tourism enterprise managers.