Defense of the dissertation of Mukanov Aidar for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the specialty «8D11105 - Tourism»
L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, a dissertation defense for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by Mukanov Aidar on the topic «Formation of a national model of tourist clusters in the regions of Kazakhstan» to the educational program «8D11105 – Tourism».
The dissertation was carried out at the «Tourism» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.
The language of defense is russian
Official reviewers:
Niyazbayeva Aliya Tursunova - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Head of the Talent Management Sector, Institute of Human Resources Management, Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan);
Akimov Zhaksylyk Makmutovich - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Management and Law of the Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University (Turkestan, Republic of Kazakhstan).
Temporary members of the Dissertation Council:
- Dunets Alexandr Nikolaevich - Doctor of Geographical Sciences, associate professor, professor of the Department of Economic geography and cartography of the Altai state university (Barnaul, Russian Federation);
- Abdimanapov Bahadurkhan Sharipovich - Doctor of Geographical Sciences, professor of the Department of Geography and ecology, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University (Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan);
- Kadyrbekova Dinara Serikovna - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), acting associate professor of the Department of Tourism and service, Kazakh Academy of Sport and Tourism (Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan).
Scientific advisors:
Mutalieva Lyailya Maratovna – candidate of economic sciences, professor, head of the department of Tourism of the L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian national university (Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan);
Devadze Anzor Khemidovich - candidate of economic sciences, professor, head of the department of Tourism of the Sh. Rustaveli Batumi State University (Batumi, Georgia).
The defense will take place on December 25, 2024, at 11:00 AM in the Dissertation Council for the training direction «8D111 – Service sector» in the specialty «8D11105 – Tourism» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. Conducting a dissertation council meeting in a mixed (offline and online) format.
Address: Astana, Satpayev 2, aud. № 302.
Abstract (English): Dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the educational program "8D11105 - Tourism" Mukanov Aidar Hamzeevich on the theme «Formation of a national model of tourist clusters in the regions of Kazakhstan». Relevance of the research. The modern nature of competition in the tourism market brings the importance of local tourist areas development issues to the regional and national levels, as a result of which other institutional structures, including from related sectors of the economy, commence to actively join the integration processes of the tourist areas development. This has quite a strong impact on transforming approaches to organizing tourism and the formation of completely new systemic entities in the tourism infrastructure, including such as a cluster. The cluster’s focus on increasing the competitiveness level of a tourist area through the spatial organization of tourist services forces the participants of this system, in a mode of constant interaction, to seek and implement new approaches to ensure sustainable growth of tourist arrivals. As a result, new types of economic and sociocultural relations are formed, the changes in the characteristics of the influence of this formation on both the regional and national economy are caused and institutional changes occur in the market, etc. For many countries, it consecutively raises the question of determining and choosing the most effective model for tourist clusters that can be created on the basis of the existing potential within the boundaries of the area. In modern conditions, Kazakhstan considers to develop a tourism industry as a full-fledged sector of the national economy and as one of the directions of economic diversification. Kazakhstan has great opportunities for the tourism development due to the surge of interest in Kazakh tourism products from foreign and domestic tourist markets. For instance, according to the latest UNWTO data, in post-Covid conditions, the number of tourists on the international tourism market interested in educational, historical and cultural tours and other types of recreation increased by 15% compared to the pre-Covid period. This suggests that Kazakhstan can become one of the attractive tourist destinations should it define the effective mechanisms for the tourist territories development. One of the directions for increasing the attractiveness of tourist territories in Kazakhstan is the formation of a national model of tourist clusters, adapted to the conditions and specifics of the country's regions development. Nevertheless, in order to create successful clusters it is necessary to develop solid approaches in the following fields: spatial organization of tourism based on the specifics of available resources in the country’s regions; determining the conditions for the development of integration processes within the boundaries of an area among entities involved not only in the development and promotion of tourism products and services separately, but also public institutions interested in the development of a tourist area; formation of an institutional structure in accordance with the national specifics of the market environment development; formation of competitive advantages based on national characteristics of the local community development, etc. This aspect actualizes the need to conduct a number of research works in this area, especially in the field of forming an effective model of a tourism cluster that meets both national priorities for tourism development and the tourist expectations. The purpose of the dissertation research. Based on the study of the main formation patterns and modern tourism cluster developments, the research aims to develop a national model of a tourism cluster, as well as recommendations for its implementation in the regions of Kazakhstan. To achieve this purpose, the following main tasks were identified: ‒ theoretical justification of the functioning and development of modern clusters characteristics, specification of the “tourist cluster” definition that corresponds to the conditions for tourism market development and institutional structure of the regional economy of Kazakhstan; ‒ description of the main aspects of sociocultural environmental development in tourist clusters, identification of the main factors influencing the conditions for the formation of tourist clusters in modern conditions; ‒ studying the specifics of the tourism industry development, analyzing the role of the state in the creation and development of tourism cluster initiatives based on statistical tools and expert assessment, identifying the main problems in the formation of tourism clusters; ‒ determination of the main directions of the spatial-territorial organization of the tourist cluster in country’s regions, justification of the constituent components reflecting specifics of the tourist area; ‒ development of a national model of a tourism cluster that corresponds to the specifics of the country’s tourist territories development and justification of the socio-economic significance of implementation in the country’s regions. The object of research. Enterprises operating in tourism industry within the boundaries of a local tourist area, as well as public institutions interested in the development of tourist areas in the country’s regions. The subject of research. Organizational and economic relations of the tourism market subjects of a local tourist destination, arising as part of the formation of competitive advantages of a tourist territory on the basis of an authentic socio-cultural environment and national values. Theoretical and methodological foundations of dissertation research. The theoretical basis of the dissertation work encompasses the fundamental scientific works of both foreign and domestic scientists, covering the main aspects of the formation and development of cluster systems in tourism industry, the conditions for their functioning in modern conditions, as well as the specifics of relations between cluster subjects in the framework of ensuring sustainable development. The methodological basis of the dissertation work is based on the use of both theoretical and empirical methods of scientific knowledge within the framework of the study. Thus, within the framework of theoretical generalization, methods of abstraction, comparison and synthesis were widely used, which assisted to characterize the modern properties of cluster systems. In the course of studying the specifics of the tourism industry development and determining the main directions for the formation of tourist clusters, statistical tools and cluster analysis, as well as expert assessment, were utilized. A taxonomic approach was employed as one of the main tools in determining the main directions of the spatial-territorial organization of the tourist cluster. Data of the official sources of the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Committee of the Tourism Industry of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, JSC “NC “KazakhTourism”, Ministry of Trade and Integration, Department of Internal Policy of Akmola Region, Department of Tourism of Akmola Region, World Economic Forum, International platform “World travels and tourism council”, United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) constructed the information base of the dissertation work. The scientific novelty of the dissertation is as follows: ‒ the theoretical principles of the formation and functioning of tourist clusters in modern conditions are deepened and systematized, the author’s interpretation of the “tourist cluster” definition is presented; ‒ the specific features of the cluster environment are considered, the main factors influencing the authenticity of the cluster are identified, the classification of tourist clusters is supplemented; ‒ based on the analysis of the tourism industry development of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the present stage, are identified the main trends in the development of tourism, the application of cluster analysis and the main directions of the tourism cluster formation in the country’s regions; ‒ based on an expert survey, are identified the main factors that negatively affect the formation and development of tourism clusters in the country’s regions; ‒ a national model of a tourism cluster has been proposed by taking into account the specifics of the area and the national characteristics of the country’s tourism industry development. The main findings of the dissertation work to be defended: ‒ the author’s interpretation of the “tourist cluster” definition, determined on the basis of a study of tourist clusters modern characteristics and a study of the comparative characteristics of cluster systems. The definition of a cluster is presented as a localized economic-geographical space within the boundaries of which enterprises of various ranks (tour operators, travel agents, accommodation facilities, transport organizations, etc.) closely interacting with the active participation of interested parties (educational organizations, research institutes, central and local government bodies, associations, public associations) have created unique conditions for the consumption of tourism services produced on the basis of local resources and socio-cultural environment specifics; ‒ classification of a tourist cluster, factors influencing the formation of tourist clusters in modern conditions. As a part of the study, classification of tourist clusters is supplemented, the main conditions for the formation of clusters are determined, as well as factors influencing the process of cluster formation in the region; ‒ cluster analysis of tourism development in the regions is carried out on the basis of the regional tourism services market study. The analysis shows that the regions of Kazakhstan, based on the main indicators of tourism development, can be divided into a number of groups where it is possible to form and develop different types of clusters based on the unique qualities and other advantages of local tourist sites, and it is necessary to take into account the national characteristics of the country; ‒ taxonomic approach to clustering tourist territories by taking into account the specifics of tourist resources and infrastructure of the area. Research shows that in the regions there are a number of destinations where territories can be clustered based on the identification of taxa. Each taxon acts as a territorial unit. Combining these units into a set based on their significance for the area and characteristics enables the outlining the potential boundaries of the destination where cluster formation processes can occur; ‒ creation of a national model of a tourist cluster in the form of the historical and cultural complex “Ethnoauyl” within the boundaries of the Akmola region. The implementation of this model can significantly increase the attractiveness of the destination, streamline the integration ties of economic entities and have a positive impact on the socio-economic development of the region as a whole. Practical significance of dissertation research. The results obtained during the dissertation research can complement the theoretical provisions of the national science in the field of tourism clusters formation and development. The developed and proposed recommendations for creating a national model of tourism clusters can be utilized by local authorities in the country’s regions as part of the spatial organization of tourism activities within the boundaries of the destination and other tourist territories. Some results can be used by individual market entities interested in the development of a tourist area, including business entities. The dissertation work can be used as educational material in training personnel for the tourism sector at the master's and doctoral levels. Implementation of research results. The results of the study were used in the activities of NC KazakhTourism JSC as part of the operational plans and programs development of the Committee of the Tourism Industry of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the development of measures for tourist areas development in the regions of Kazakhstan, "Astana Development Center" LLP in order to develop plans for the tourism infrastructure expansion in Astana. The implementation of the research results by these subjects is confirmed by acts (certificates) of implementation (Appendix A). Approbation and publication of research results. As part of the preparation of the dissertation work, certain findings were published in journals recommended by KOKSNVO MNERO RK, publications indexed in the international SCOPUS database and other international periodical collections: 1. Features and signs of modern tourist clusters // Bulletin of L.N. Gumilyov ENU. Economic series. – 2022. ‒ No. 2. – pp. 262-273. 2. Foreign experience in the formation and development of tourist clusters // Bulletin of the University of Turan. – 2022. ‒ No. 3(95). – pp. 132-144. 3. Formation of tourist clusters on the territory of the Shchuchinsk-Borovoye resort area // Vestnik KazNU. Geographical series. – 2022. – v. 67, No. 4. – pp. 106-124. 4. The role of branding in increasing the economic activity of the tourist region // Bulletin of the Kazakh University of Economy, Finance and International Trade. – 2023. ‒ No. 1(50). - pp. 172-178. 5. Formation of Tourist Clusters in Ecotourism Centers: Case of Zerenda Resort Center in Kazakhstan // Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism. Fall. - 2023. – Vol. 14, Issue 6(70). - Р. 2641-2659. 6. Branding of tourist cluster systems: case of Almaty mountain cluster in the republic of Kazakhstan // GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites. – 2023. ‒ Vol. 49, №3. - P. 1152-1164. Structure of Dissertation. The dissertation consists of an introduction, three main chapters, a conclusion, a bibliography and appendices. The main chapters of the dissertation are accompanied by tabular and graphic materials for visual perception of the mentioned findings. The work is presented on 188 pages in the form of typed text.
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