Public Policy in Tourism and Hospitality: Practices and Spatial Organization

Today, the Russian Federation is implementing the most large-scale national project in the history of the modern domestic tourism and hospitality industry, titled "Tourism and Hospitality Industry." Without a competent and professional management approach to addressing all the tasks set for its implementation, this project cannot be successfully realized. Therefore, the experience of management approaches, ideas, and solutions at the local level, as well as the sharing of this experience, represents significant practical value. Our new journal issue is dedicated to this applied task, aiming to explore key aspects of the management direction with an emphasis on effective regulatory methods and principles of spatial organization. Over the past few decades, the tourism industry has undergone significant changes driven by both technological progress and shifts in consumer preferences. In the context of globalization and increasing competition, government structures and private companies are compelled to develop and implement innovative management approaches. The regulatory process in this area is becoming increasingly complex, requiring close and organic interaction between public and private actors, as well as active involvement of local communities. It is gratifying that the authors of the articles featured in this issue—scholars, managers, and experts —have focused on regional cases, practical techniques, and recommendations that enable efficiency in achieving the objectives set by the National Project. One of the key aspects is the integration of tourism into the overall regional and municipal development strategies for the tourism and hospitality sector. Of particular interest are examples of successful collaboration between governmental authorities and businesses, which enhance the quality of provided services and improve tourists' experiences and perceptions of destinations. The themes of the publications in this issue also highlight the importance of spatial organization and foundational themes within the context of socio-economic geography methodologies and spatial-territorial approaches to tourism development. Policies aimed at improving access to natural and cultural resources, territorial master planning tasks, and infrastructural planning solutions are among the critical components of effective service space management, which foster the development of tourism and hospitality in regions and enhance their investment attractiveness. Certainly, the list of successful regional cases and practices in the Russian Federation is not limited to those included in this issue; it is much richer and more diverse. Additionally, readers might be interested in learning about the experiences of unsuccessful cases or those whose outcomes differed from the planned results —exploring the reasons and consequences of various decisions that should have been made. Learning from both successful and negative experiences is always important, as the latter can be even more valuable for management practice. Therefore, we encourage our readers—authors—to continue exploring the topics of this issue in future contributions. We are open to new ideas and proposals that can contribute to the further development of the identified issues.