Social practices of russian tourists: preferences in countries and cities of visiting

Until the 1980'sSoviet citizens had a rare opportunity to visit foreign countries. At present, the increasing flow of touriststo Europe and other parts of the world space of post-Soviet states involved in the processes ofglobalization and cultural exchange on an equal basis with everyone. The constancy of tourist movementsbecame common practice for many Russians caused enormous economic and cultural effects.Markers of modern tourism are the space and the locality. Space potential is to create a geographicalimage as a system of signs and symbols that characterize a certain territory in terms of sense of life andstrategies for people living there or visiting it.The article analyzes the preferences of the modern Russian tourists concerning their visits countriesand cities worldwide. The empirical research was realized by questionnaire survey of tourists -customers of travel companies (N = 1277) from October to December, 2010. Target sample was carriedout among urban populations in the three federal districts: Central (Moscow), Volga (Saratov),and Southern (Volgograd, Astrakhan). The sample is target and cluster. Calculation of sample's sizewas based on data from National Population Census, 2002. Sample of respondents is quota by sex andage. Quota representative sample of the regions divided into four mega-cities of the European part ofRussia: Saratov, Moscow, Astrakhan and Volgograd. All respondents were clients of travel agencieswhere they filled out questionnaires. The obtained data are processed by using a statistical softwarepackage for social sciences SPSS 18.Through and in the process of social practices of tourism person constructs his identity, acquiresand transforms value systems, collects and interprets personnel and foreign travel experience. Planningand realization of tourist trips is a component of designing of own life different from others in whichthe motivation, geography and chronology of travel are unique. It does not preclude the identificationof specified trends of tourist activity. Visits of modern Russian tourists to countries and cities are diverse,their preferences are differentiated, as evidenced by data analysis carried out empirical research.Social practices of tourism allow Russian citizens traveling abroad, to form their own identity throughthe completion of their experience with a tourist group.

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