Scholarly record

FEATURES OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE BORDER POSITION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN THE ADJACENT REGIONS OF RUSSIA, CHINA AND MONGOLIA

E. Sanzheev, P. Osodoev, J. Zhamyanova, T. Tsyrendorzhieva

Abstract

In the context of the globalization and integration processes development, and changes in the geopolitical position and foreign policy course, which are overlapping on them, the border regions of Russia, Mongolia and China have acquired new opportunities for socio-economic development. Therefore, the study of the barrier and contact functions of the state border impact on the cross-border cooperation and the socio-economic situation of border regions will be a special relevance. The international tourism development in neighboring regions is impossible without an efficiently operating of the cross-border infrastructure. The border regions of Russia and Mongolia have a long history of development cooperation. The cross-border infrastructure on the Russian-Mongolian border is represented by nine checkpoints and the necessary equipment. The majority of 81% of passenger and cargo traffic comes through two checkpoints: “Kyakhta – Altan-Bulag” and “Naushki – Sukhe-Bator”. At present, China is regarded as one of Russia's strategic partners. The issue of development of cross-border cooperation is one of the most important in bilateral relations. On the Russian-Chinese border there are 23 checkpoints. As the analysis showed, the main passenger and cargo traffic passes through the checkpoint “Zabaikalsk – Manchuria”. The number of Russians visiting China is growing, but the dynamics strongly depend from various factors. Over the last years, the number of Chinese tourists entering to Russia has been growing. One of the factors for the tourism industry development in the border regions is using of the border position advantages. The main inbound and outbound tourist flows pass through the border regions. For many tourists, the contiguous regions are a place of recreation associated with geographical proximity. Therefore, research of the tourist and recreational potential of the border regions in the area of the Great Tea Road is needed. Studies have shown that changing the geopolitical situation, changing the vector of foreign policy, bilateral agreements reached with China and Mongolia reduced the effect of the barrier function of the state border with these countries and strengthened the contact function. This had a positive effect on the socio-economic situation of the border regions of Russia located in the zone of the Great Tea Road. On the one hand, the further strengthening of the contact function of the border can have a beneficial effect on the development of tourism in the border regions, foreign economic cooperation and the socio-economic situation in general. On the other hand, increasing border permeability carries with it risks of a different nature. Therefore, the decisions of state bodies made in this area should be based on the results of scientific research.

Publication details

Back to publication list