Recreational Geography and Tourism

The Head of the Department Professor Victor I. Kruzhalin, Ph.D.

Department of RECREATIONAL GEOGRAPHY AND TOURISM was created according to the decision of the Academic council of the Moscow State University on November, 25th, 2004 for preparation of experts in a direction "Tourism". This is the first division in the country which carries out training of students within the limits of the new educational standard for high schools. Head of the department – professor Kruzhalin Victor Ivanovich.

Profile of graduates. The department curriculum is focused on preparation of experts of the top skills in the field of tourist business, tourist service, the government in tourism sphere.

Main educational courses. The special attention to department is given to reception by students of fundamental knowledge on geography (courses on physical and economic geography, regional geography, geography and tourism, to bases of wildlife management, etc.), economy (courses on bases of the economic theory, economy and statistics of tourism, wildlife management economy), psychology, to legal bases of tourist activity, a modern information technology in tourism, and also to special tourist disciplines and acquisition of practical skills in professional work. Students of department receive profound language preparation (study two foreign languages).

Educational process on department is under construction on principles continuous vocational training. The system of continuous formation includes direct training under educational standards of the higher vocational training, including preparation of bachelors, experts and masters of tourism, and also the various forms of additional vocational training realized at Geographical faculty of the Moscow State University: programs of improvement of professional skill, the vocational training program, the program additional to higher education (the Master of Business Administration - MBA).

Educational and scientific divisions. The department structure includes laboratory of recreational research.

Fields of Research. A theme of scientific work of department «Territorial touristic-recreational systems: natural and social and economic preconditions of a sustainable development» includes three underthemes. In 2008 researches of the social and economic mechanism of maintenance of a sustainable development of tourism and a recreation within the limits of new territorial formations, and also studying of new tendencies in development of tourism in the conditions of accruing globalization and information of a modern society proceeded. Spent to frameworks undertheme researches have allowed to establish Theoretic-methodological bases of geographical studying of a recreation and tourism that the most actual represent now following directions of touristic-recreational researches: 1). A geographical substantiation of designing and creation of touristic-recreational complexes, zones and uniform touristic-recreational system of the country; 2). Creation of the concept of recreational examination and its maintenance; 3). Introduction of the concept tourist clasters and principles of their organisation.

The second undertheme «the Complex estimation of touristic-recreational potential of territory with a view of its steady development» is focused on studying of spatial structure of the world tourist market having non-uniform, hierarchically organized structure. By results of researches the developed characteristic of the Center, Semiperiphery and Periphery of world tourist space in which the special attention is given to internal stability of the touristic-recreational systems which have developed in them is presented. The conclusion is drawn on strengthening of spatial polarisation of the world tourist market in the conditions of modern global financial crisis, about an aggravation of problems of its instability and non-uniformity of development.

In frameworks of undertheme «Social and economic aspects of a sustainable development of turistics-recreational systems» evolution of representations about turistics-recreational potential as to a basis of formation and development of turistics-recreational systems is analysed. The treatment of concept «turistics-recreational potential of territory» co-ordinates with recreation and tourism definitions. Proceeding from it, the basic directions of researches of territorial recreational systems are defined. Theoretical representations about the territorial organisation of turistics-recreational activity are deepened; the modern methodology of a professional training is developed for turistics-recreational activity.

The department organises and spends four International scientifically-practical conferences «Tourism and a recreation: fundamental and applied researches» in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 on which theoretical bases of studying of tourism and a recreation, a problem and prospect of their development, a condition of the tourist market and methods of its forecasting, regional features of tourism, questions of professional tourist formation were discussed. Employees of department took part in work of program committee of conferences.

Main accomplished research. Within the limits of the project «Theoretical and methodical bases of management» are received by touristic-recreational sphere of regions of Russia following scientific results:
- The conceptual scheme of the organisation of management by touristic-recreational sphere of regions and municipal unions in conditions market economy is offered;
- A series of models of touristic-recreational development of territories is presented;
- Detailed techniques components and integrated estimations of conditions of development of tourism in region (the estimation concept, algorithm, estimated scales, ways of integration) are developed.

Future research activities. Scientific activity of department is directed on working out of theoretic-methodological and scientifically-practical bases geographical fundamental and applied researches of touristic-recreational systems and includes:
- A complex estimation of tourist potential of territories;
- Studying of natural resources by new methods on materials of space sounding of the Earth;
- Information-cartographical maintenance of works on designing of touristic-recreational zones of various hierarchical level;
- Working out and creation of thematic cards and atlases touristic-recreational Territories;
- Working out of models of a sustainable development of tourism and a recreation;
- Researches of the social and economic mechanism of maintenance of a sustainable development of tourism and recreation within the limits of new territorial recreational formations;
- Planning and designing of turistics-recreational objects and territories;
- Studying of new tendencies in development of tourism in the conditions of accruing globalization and information of a modern society;
- Introduction in scientific and educational practice

Scientific and educational contacts and communications. The department maintains relations with the organizations and the tourist's industry enterprises: the Committee on tourism of Moscow, Association of tour operators of Russia, the Russian union of the tourist's industry, company "KMP-GROUPS", "Anchor", etc. Is conducted performance of joint scientific works with the Tver state university and the Tolyatti state university of service.

International relations. The department co-operates with the foreign high schools which carry out preparation of experts in sphere of tourism. In 2008 employees of department took part in the international conferences and forums in Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan. In 2008 the group of students of department passed training in Spain.

Main Publications

• Geography of Tourism - Textbook/ Edited by Anna Aleksandrova. Moscow, KNORUS, 2008, 2009 (2nd edition).
• Tourism and Recreation on the Way to Sustainable Development (Russian and Foreign Studies) / Edited by Victor Kruzhalin and Anna Aleksandrova. Moscow, Sovetsky Sport Publishers, 2008.
• Tourism and Recreation: Fundamental and Applied Studies. Proceedings of the 1st (2nd; 3rd; 4th) International scientific conference. Moscow, RIB “Turist”, 2006 (2007; 2008; 2009).
• Recreational Geography: Ideas, Methods, Applications. Tver’, Nauchnaya kniga, 2006.
• Aleksandrova A.Y. International Tourism - Textbook. Moscow, Aspect-Press, 2004
• Aleksandrova A.Y. Structure of Tourist Market – Monograph. Moscow, Aspect-Press, 2002.
• Kruzhalin K.V. “Economic and Geographical Evaluation of Russia Recreational Potential for the Development of International Tourism” – Textbook. Moscow, Drofa, 2002.
• Kruzhalin V.I., Magin E.B., Motovilova M.S., Shabalina N.V. “Geographical Field Practical Work in Moscow Region”, chapter 9. Moscow, Faculty of Geography, 2007.
• Golubchikov Y.N., Dementjeva N.I. Siberia. Atlas of the Asian Russia. Moscow, DIK, 2007.
• Kruzhalin V.I., Magin B.E. The Use of Modern Tourist Information Technologies in Training Personnel / National Academy of Tourism Bulletin, N 3, St-Petersburg, 2008.
• Aleksandrova A.Y. Tourist Clusters: Matter, Boundaries, Mechanism of Functioning / Contemporary Problems of Services and Tourism, N 1, Moscow, 2007.