Experience of European Countries Implementing Innovative Approaches in Tourism Development

A key aspect that causes the need for innovation in the tourism sector is the fact that tourist activities not only form the travel services in the territory, but also serve a source of revenues for the region, and cause the development of many related sectors of the destination's economy. Many states create special national organizations to promote various types of innovations in tourism, realizing that it is an innovation activity that is the main factor of economic growth. Such organizations are established in the UK, Spain, Poland, and other countries. The essence of the innovative approach in tourism is creating new and improving existing services, developing new markets, establishing strategic business alliances, implementing extensively contemporary information technologies, and applying new management forms and methods. It is the effective application of innovations that leads to the creation of competitive tourist products and services both on the national and international markets. The article focuses on the achievements of scientists considering the need to apply innovative management for the effective development of the tourism business. The authors compare the experience of various European countries and companies which implement innovative approaches in the development of the tourism industry, as well as in the field of tourism business; consider the Russian experience of implementing innovative approaches in tourism activities; and draft proposals for the development of tourism in Russia.