ACTIVITIES OF MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL TOURISM: PROBLEMS, RESOURCES AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES

The study examines the activity of municipal authorities in the development of cultural tourism. The authors consider the dysfunctions of the resource support of the activities of modern municipalities, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of creating a competitive tourism product. The purpose of the study is to analyse the resources and limitations of the activities of municipal authorities for the development of cultural tourism. In order to achieve the goal the authors have to accomplishthe following tasks: assessing financial, organizational, personnel, investment and other resources of local government, the possibility of their conversion into tourism development; analysing the readiness of modern municipalities to implement such areas of activity as updating local tourism resources, creating a competitive tourism product, creating conditions for the inclusion of residents in the practice of developing the tourist attractiveness of territories. The current study used methods of sociological research (a survey of local government leaders N = 356 experts), analysis of documents. The authors substantiate the conclusion that local authorities have the greatest potential for the formation of competitive, differentiated tourism products that are adequate to the expectations of various social groups. However, at the present stage of development of the Russian society, the effectiveness of local authorities is limited by a number of dysfunctions: financial insecurity of local budgets, growth of municipal debt, orientation to the sale of municipal property, insufficient human resources, excessive control by federal and regional authorities. Under the current conditions, the key driver of cultural tourism is the expansion of the local governments capacity, the intensification of private initiatives, the implementation of the research exchange principles and mutually beneficial cooperation with business.