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10ТУРИЗМ
УДК 338.482
TRENDS OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY SOCIAL COMPONENT DEVELOPMENT (Тенденции индучтрии туризма - развитие социального
компонента)
Irina A. Kolupanova
ФГБОУ ВО «Алтайский государственный технический университет им. И. И.
Ползунова» (Барнаул, Российская Федерация) kolupanova@mail .ru
At the modern stage of social universal space development there is a special place for social component of tourism. It should be mentioned that significant changes have occurred with the phenomenon of tourism in general. Talking about tourism as a sector of market economy, it is important to note its social importance and significant role in people's life standards formation. Tourism abroad expresses social need, the part of lifestyle. However, in Russia nowadays tourism development without state support has led to existence of mainly commercial tourism forms that are not affordable for vulnerable social groups. First of all, in the context of commercialization social component of tourism is remained and reflected in modern social tourism. That is one of the tourism types. Thus, today there is an ambiguous interpretation of "social tourism" concept in Russia and abroad.
Income, production, employment and gain functions belong to socio-economic functions. Socio-cultural functions includes health-improving, developmental, social status and integrative. These functions are found in a number of international documents, emphasizing humanistic potential of tourism, ability to contribute to the strengthening of peace and understanding of people, creation of more fair new international economic order meeting the requirements of all sides.
Social tourism subsystem representing a part of socio-economic system "tourism" includes a collection of objects and participants of social tourism, as well as principles, objectives and means (benefits distributed to members of social tourism) [1].
Federal Law "Concerning the Fundamental Principles of Tourist Activities in the Russian Federation" issued on May, 3 2012 gives definition to social tourism as a tourism partially or completely financed out of public funds, state non-budgetary funds (including governmental social assistance funds), and employers' funds [2].
However, in European Union member states social tourism associates with customers having low income that cannot allow getting tourism service of high quality. This category of citizens needs social privileges. The category includes first of all families with many children, orphans, children from orphan homes and orphan
boarding schools, students and youth having a side job, pensioners, physically handicapped and the poor.
Thereby, social tourism is any type of tourism (educational, spa, ecological, rural, etc.) partially or fully paid by the finds for social needs.
In general, in researches social tourism is viewed as economic category and the majority of laws of different countries refer social tourism to priority. Russian legislation places social tourism to the third place of priority after domestic and incoming tourism.
Popularization and development of social type of tourism in Russia today is connected with the following factors: firstly, this segment of tourism market is essential for a huge number of people with limited financial and physical capacity; secondly, social tourism market provided in Russia in the period of "developed socialism", nowadays is completely destroyed, and therefore requires revival; thirdly, social tourism needs active state participation; fourthly, in recent times certain initiatives are carried out in the sphere of social and health tourism. Recently, this type of tourism is becoming available for people of different socio-professional categories. Its services are used by elderly, young people with various health disorders.
At the same time, social tourism is characterized by: active participation of various social organizations (pension funds, labor boards, trade unions, etc.); variety of financial support (loans with low interest rates, subsidies, tax remissions, etc.); using achievements in social sphere, raising quality of life and health standards [3].
In the development of social tourism an important place is hold by International Bureau of Social Tourism (IBST) created in 1963 in Brussels. IBST unites national tourism organizations, involved in social tourism mostly from industrial countries. The IBST Charter adopted by General Assembly in 1972 in Vienna proclaimed the elementary principles of social tourism. These principles were further reflected in Manila Declaration (1980) and Acapulco Document (1982).
Theorists and experts in social tourism of European and American countries tend to take into account trends of modern economy and tourism development due to the transition to the so-called post-industrial, information-oriented society (or the society with new economy). The role of humanization, economy sociologization and social life in general increases significantly in this society.
In Russia problems of social tourism organization and management, the way of its improvement are also the subject of research and discussions in the academic circles. The state regulates social tourism sector directly and indirectly through legal instruments, its infrastructure and international policy support. Besides there are used such instruments as taxation, investments in the tourism sector, government grants, easy loans, etc.
Activity on social tourism organization in the Russian Federation is regulated by the Federal Law of the Russian Federation of 24.11.1996, № 132 -FZ "Concerning the Fundamental Principles of Tourist Activities in the Russian Federation".
Thus, the social tourism system development can be considered as one of the priorities of social policy. One of the initial stages of development and implementation of state policy in this sphere is to create the legal framework. Analysis of the legal framework governing the sector of social tourism, leads to the conclusion of its imperfection. The main disadvantage is that the regulations do not contain specific approaches for the development of integrated mechanisms for creating a system of social tourism on the territory of the Russian Federation.
The Federal Law "Concerning the Fundamental Principles of Tourist Activities in the Russian Federation" says: "Social Tourism - travel, subsidized by the state of the funds allocated for social needs." In our country, there is no developed regulatory document that determines which of the tourists, on which travel, where and when can get the part of budget funds from the state provided for social needs [4].
The main legislative document is the Constitution of the Russian Federation. In the sphere of social policy it assigns the following directions of the government actions: labor and health are protected in the Russian Federation, specified secured minimum monthly wage, state support of the family, motherhood, fatherhood and childhood, physically handicapped and senior citizens, the system of social service develops, national pensions, benefits and other warranties of social protection are specified. Social policy in general is defined as an activity of the state or social institutes for satisfying social needs of the people. It is intended to improve the life quality, to reach a consensus in the society, to regulate relations by means of harmonization of main social groups' interests.
Social policy formation is determined by special historical conditions and includes the following directions: - income policy (including salaries, pensions, benefits); - labor policy and labor relations (labor protection, social insurance, employment of the population); - main directions of social sphere development (health protection, education, science, culture, tourism, sport); - socio-ecological policy (formation of life and environmental security); - life-support infrastructure policy (housing, transport, roads, communications, trade and consumer services); -policy for certain categories of people (families, youth, seniors and physically handicapped, distressed populations).
The constitutional principle of the social state assumes creation of equal opportunities for all members of society, carrying out the social policy recognizing for each member of society the right for such standard of living which is necessary for maintenance of health and welfare him and his family when he works, and also in cases of unemployment, illness, disability, an old age. Each citizen has a right to rest (Art. 37 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation). Besides, in the Russian Federation creation of additional forms of social security and charity (Art. 39 of the
Considering the Constitution of the Russian Federation, it is necessary to consider a role of international treaties in the sphere of tourism, in particular social tourism. According to the Article 15, part 4 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation standards of international treaties of the Russian Federation prevail over the Russian laws if they contain other rules of conduct.
It is possible to carry to the federal normative legal acts governing the relations in the sphere of social tourism:
- Federal Law of November 24, 1996 No 132-FZ "Concerning the Fundamental Principles of Tourist Activities in the Russian Federation". In this Law definition of social tourism is given, and the support of social tourism is proclaimed the priority direction of state regulation of tourist activity;
- Federal Law of February 7, 1992 No 2300-1 "On Protection of Consumers" which governs the relations arising between consumers and manufacturers, performers, sellers at sale of goods (performance of work, rendering services) including a tourist product, establishes the rights of consumers for purchase of goods (works, services) of appropriate quality and safe for life, health, property of consumers and environment, obtaining information on goods (works, services) and about their manufacturers (performers, sellers), education, the state and public protection of their interests and also defines the mechanism of realization of these rights; - Federal Law of July 21, 2005 No 94-FZ "Concerning the Placing of Orders for Supplies of Goods, the Performance of Work and the Rendering of Services for State and Municipal Requirements". This Law governs relations connected with placing orders for deliveries of goods, performance of work, rendering services for the state or municipal needs, establishes a uniform procedure for placing orders, including in the sphere of social tourism;
- Federal Law of August 11, 1995 No 135-FZ "Concerning Charitable Activities and Charitable Organizations", establishes bases of legal regulation of charity, defines possible forms of its support by public authorities and local governments;
- Federal Law of July 17,1999 No 178-FZ "Concerning State Social Assistance" establishes legal and organizational bases of rendering the state social help to low-income families or the poor living alone. In the Law the concept "set of social services" is defined as the list of the social services provided to separate categories of citizens, one of which is granting in the presence of medical indications of the permit to sanatorium treatment to the above-named categories of citizens;
- Federal Law (further - the Law) of November 24, 1995 No 181-FZ "Concerning the Social Protection of Disabled Persons in the Russian Federation". This Federal Law defines state policy in the field of social protection of physically handicapped in the Russian Federation which purpose is providing opportunities, equal with citizens, in realization of the civil, economic, political and other rights and freedoms provided by the Constitution of the Russian Federation.
The Law states that the Government of the Russian Federation, executive authorities of territorial subjects of the Russian Federation, local governments, the organizations irrespective of legal forms and forms of ownership create conditions to physically handicapped for free access to objects of social infrastructure, including vacation spots.
The Law guarantees state support (including taxes and other benefits) to the enterprises and the organizations which are carrying out sanatorium treatment.
Physically handicapped grown-ups and children, according to the Law, have the right for sanatorium treatment according to the individual program of rehabilitation on special terms. The disabled people of the 1st group and children needing sanatorium treatment have the right on the same conditions of the second voucher for the person accompanying them. The unemployed disabled people including ones who are in stationary establishments of social service, sanatorium vouchers are issued free of charge by social security authorities. The working disabled people are provided with sanatorium vouchers in the place of work on special terms at the expense of social insurance. Physically handicapped have 50% discount from the fare on long-distance lines of the air, railway, river and motor transport from October 1 to May 15 and once (round trip) in other season. Disabled people of I and II groups and disabled children are granted the right of a free pass to the place of treatment and back once a year if the legislation of the Russian Federation has not established more specific terms.
- Federal Constitutional Law of December 17 1997 No 2-FKZ "Concerning the Government of the Russian Federation";
- Russian Federation Presidential Decree of March 9, 2004 No 314 "Concerning the System and Structure of Federal Executive Bodies";
- Russian Federation Presidential Decree of November 18, 2004 o 1453 "Concerning the Federal Tourism Agency and Federal Agency for Physical Education and Sports" (with additions of September 24, 2007);
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 31, 2004 No 901 "Concerning the Adoption of Federal Tourism Agency Charter";
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 30, 2004 No 321 "Concerning the Adoption of Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development of the Russian Federation Charter";
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of April 6, 2004 No 153 "Issues of Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development of the Russian Federation";
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of April 4, 2004 No 158 "Issues of Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation";
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of April 6, 2004 No 165 "Issues of Federal Agency for Healthcare and Social Development";
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 30, 2004 No 325 "Concerning the Adoption of Federal Agency for Healthcare and Social Development Charter";
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of June 15, 2004 No 280 "Concerning the Adoption of Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation Charter".
Taking about regional legislation, it is important to note that today none of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation has adopted the Law "Concerning the Social Tourism". As a rule, legal framework is limited to various dedicated programs.
The exception is Saint-Petersburg. There is a current Law "Saint-Petersburg's support for tourism development in St-Petersburg" The support of social tourism is proclaimed to be one of the priorities of the city authorities' policy. As well as the Decree of Ministry of Labour of the Republic of Bashkortostan No 235-j, GK RB PT No159/o of July 6, 2012 "Concerning the implementing subprogram "Social Tourism Development in the Republic of Bashkortostan" for 2012".
In such a manner, all laws and statutory instruments concerning the social tourism in the Russian Federation are general, i.e. they contain separate norms, governing the relations in the studied area. Special Law "Concerning Social Tourism" developed from the middle of the 1990s by different state and public institutes has not been adopted yet. This situation does not allow further social development, insamuch as the majority of questions arising in this sphere have not been settled.
It is obvious that social tourism development in Russia and her regions is restrained by total absence of legal support.
The main types of social tourism:
• Tourism for children and young people (including tourist and local history activity among children and teenagers);
• Amateur (sport) tourism - trips carried by travelers at their own expense, and state and public assistance, using active means of traveling of different complexity;
• Primary wellness tourism - trips for people who are badly in need in recreation and treatment;
• Family trips, tourism for youth and veterans;
• Tourism for physically handicapped;
• Trips for foreign compatriots.
The social tourism support is related to the priority of tourist activity state regulation.
The sources of financing and material support of social tourism in Russia:
- Funds received as a result of tourist and other activity of participants or objects of social tourism;
- Assignments from Pension Fund for subsidies for social tourism;
- Assignments from social security fund for subsidies for social tourism;
- Assignments from medical insurance fund for subsidies for social tourism;
- Assignments from employment fund for subsidies for social tourism;
- Income gained on percent of subsidized loans, allocated by an economic entity in the social tourism;
- Voluntary contributions of legal entities and individuals, including foreign, in support of social tourism;
- Funds allocated by the government for social tourism support and development according to the legislation of the Russian Federation;
- Other sources allowed in the Russian Federation.
In order to expand the sphere of social tourism, in 1997 it was established the All-Russian People's Tourist Association. The society is aimed at solving urgent professional tourism problems, including: - the expansion of the social tourism sphere, based on affordable vacation, free movement, rational leisure, cognitive activity of workers, poorly protected sections of the population; - use of public funds and off-budget insurance for recreation and tourism of students, working people, war and labor veterans, low-income citizens; and so on.
Since 2002, within the bounds of social tourism in Russia, the direction of tourism services for people with vital disabilities has been actively developing.
Currently, the Russian social support tourism programs are implemented by means of the Russian Federation Social Insurance Fund.The largest structure, funding children's social tourism, is the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation. Every year its budget is laid the item for rehabilitation and sanatorium treatment of children. Financing of the Social Security Fund of the Russian Federation has one important feature: the money allocated appropriations always remain within the Russian Federation, i.e. paid tickets only within Russian resorts and camps. And this means that domestic tourism is in the greatest demand.Today, children tourism market has a significant number of travel agencies organizing children's summer holidays in Russia and abroad. Tour operators investing in the restoration and modernization of the main funds for children's activities, try to acquire these camps in the property or rent them for a long time. But at the same time, children's leisure demand is the most stable. According to the statistics of tourist companies dealing with children, family and youth tourism, about 80% of their clients - children, 15% -families, 5% - young people [4].In Europe social tourism development has another effect. In several European countries the social tourism is organized by associations, cooperatives and trade unions and is designed to make travel accessible to the largest possible number of people, especially the less privileged sections of the population. European projects can have both international and national focus.With the approval of the European Parliament since 2009 despite the unfolding financial and economic crisis in Europe there has been launched social tourism project "Calypso 10" with an annual budget of 1 million Euro and valid for 3 years. The project is aimed at attracting greater number of citizens to tourism and expansion of local, inter-regional
and inter-state cooperation. This program dealt not only with travel, it touches the health, problem of communication between elderly and young people, social integration and, most importantly, the formation of a common European identity. Herewith, the program determined four main target groups of citizens -elderly people and pensioners, young people, physically handicapped and families with low incomes. Calypso project covered eight European countries, and a six are in the process of possible participation [5].
With regard to the forms of material assistance to persons who use the services of social tourism abroad, one of them is vacation checks, which can be used when buying a tourist product. They are quite widespread in some European countries. So, in France the French National Association of Vocation Checks is engaged in selling the checks, in Switzerland - Swiss Travel Fund.
French National Association of Vacation Checks has annual cash flow more than 1 billion Euros. About 3 million French people working in public and private structures pay by checks.
In Switzerland, a system of checks on the rest is carried out by Swiss Travel Fund (REKA). It covers two target groups - families and physically handicapped. It presupposes the system of "free rest weeks" for mothers and single fathers. The neighboring Austria has a system of family cards, allowing families to have rest in the neighboring provinces of the country. Each family having a child and wishing to relax gets vacation discounts. Discount service produces 1,400 enterprises and institutions [5].
Vacation check is a billing document with a high degree of protection against forgery. They represent a checkbook and have a certain nominal value. The basic principles of the functioning: 1. a certain agency shall issue required amount of checks. 2. wholesaler pre-pays for their cost and allocates among employees providing various discounts. 3. an employee pays for a check at the same time or in installments. 4. service checks are cashed at the agency, where the issue has been made. This system allows providing a targeted consumption means, lower taxes, improve the system of discounts to service enterprises.
There are 19 routes, established in Catalonia, which are quite comfortable for physically handicapped. Spain and Britain also work in this direction. For social tourism in Finland there are created a lot of small businesses for physically handicapped, ships are equipped with the necessary devices for the safety of people in wheelchairs. In France, this type of tourism is popular in rural areas. In Austria, Tyrol resort is considered one of the most comfortable for people with limited mobility mountain sports complex. Health institutions also very often take this type
of tourists. Now the world is conducted by new and existing equipment of beaches for this category of tourists.
According to a study conducted by foreign experts, in 2006, people with disabilities spent about fourteen billion dollars for travelling. Four billion was spent on hotel accommodation, three and a half was spent on food and shopping and two and a half on the flights. Totally, thirty-two million trips were done. Travel services at reasonable prices significantly increase the purchasing power of the population. In Europe, the average age of tourists is increasing every year. People over 60 years today actively rest in other countries [6].
In Spain, there is a social tourism program, which allows more than 1 million pensioners year to make the organized group trips in the off-season. The Spanish government has invested in this program about 75 million Euros annually, but through the use of appropriate mechanisms (VAT, tax on commercial and professional activities, corporate approach and a tax on individuals, grants from the Social Insurance Fund) it generates income in 125 million Euro covering the costs. Due to this program, the country has created 10 thousand new work places. The country also has a program "Tourism for the older generation", where participates annually more than 400 thousand people. British program "Family" also attracts attention; its aim is to show that low-income families rest does not differ from the rest more affluent families.
Hungary, for example, uses a system of selling checks in order to improve the demographic situation by providing preferential opportunities for prospective mothers' recreation. Hungarian National Recreation Foundation cooperates with 150 organizations, and assists in conducting vacation for more than 100 thousand people annually. For example, areas using checks: payment of railway / road and water transport, cultural programs, festivals, purchase of fishing card, visiting hot springs, paying for food and fuel, protection of health and prevention of diseases, and so on.
The Czech Republic has a program "Travelling without barriers" for physically handicapped. This program deserves our attention, despite the fact that the course of the economic crisis is making adjustments to its implementation. Romanian vacation voucher program is open to all public and private institutions in the country.
European social programs have a tendency to unite. In November 2011, Malta hosted the 6th European Forum of Social Tourism, where measures giving new dynamics of social tourism policy were discussed. Delegates of the Forum developed a "roadmap" of the European social tourism in 2012 as the basis of cooperation between states. Thus, in European countries, the state regulates the social tourism sector directly through the Ministry of Tourism and National Tourism Organization
(NTO), as well as indirectly through legal instruments, its supporting infrastructure, and international policy. State influences on tourism in two ways: by controlling demand and revenues or managing supply and prices. Measures for promoting social tourism are an integral part of marketing, held by the state, and the aim of awakening demand from potential customers. According to the WTO's recommendations, these measures should be aimed at creating a high-quality image of the country, based on its attractive symbolic characteristics [7].
Thus, social tourism in foreign countries is understood as the tourist sector of the market where buyers receive subsidies from the funds allocated by the state for social needs, or other sources of coverage, in order to create conditions for travel and leisure students, working and studying youth from low-income families, pensioners, veterans and physically handicapped, i.e. persons to whom the state and other organizations are providing social support. It is important to note that in highly developed countries such as the USA and Germany, there is no social tourism as a form of subsidized tourism. It is well known and one of the provisions of the Hague Declaration of 1989, which declares that the government cannot spend on tourism more than what they hope gain from it.
Currently, the Russian Association of Social Tourism (RAST) is the only organization in the country dealing with problems of the social tourism development. Since August 1991 Association has been a member of the International Bureau of Social Tourism. According to foreign studies, Russia ranks 55th in the world in terms of real income and 101th in the world in terms of quality of life. In practice, there are significant differences within the country, for example, the highest quality of life in Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as some economically developed regions.
Analysis of the current social structure of Russian society (with the use of economic-statistical approach) shows the polarization of the population by income, with the majority of the population belongs to the category of citizens with low incomes.
Thus, in the organization of social tourism in the Russian Federation there are problems and difficulties of a different types: the elaboration of new or adaptation to modern requirements of the existing material base, the lack of adequate legal and regulatory framework, information and psychological problems faced by holidaymakers in the social tourism system, lack of tourist products for the target group, the poor quality of social tourism and at the same time increasing service quality standards; choose the form of material assistance to clients of social tourism.
References
1. Donskova L.I. "Research project of social tourism development: theory and practice" http://www.myshared.ru/slide/770057/
2. Federal Law "Concerning the Fundamental Principles of Tourist activities in the Russian Federation" issued May 3, 2012. Internet sources: http: //klubtravel .ru/eto-nuj no -znat/3 4-hh.html
3. Gulyaev V.G. "Tourism: Economy and Social Development"/ V.G. Gulyaev. -Moscow: Finances and Statestics, 2003. - page 303.
4. Chernikova I.D. "Formation of organizational-economic mechanism of social tourism in Russia"/ I.D. Chernikova; Saint-Petersburg State University of Economy and Finance. - St. Petersburg, 2004. - page 199.
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6. What is social tourism [electronic resource]. - Access: http://biznestoday.ru/turizm/1343socialnyj-turizm.html. - Caps. screen.
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8. Mikhailov V.A. "Legal basis of Social Tourism in the Russian Federation" // Problems of Modern Economics, №4. - 2008. - page 54-58.
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