Geographic Information Systems in Ensuring the Development of Tourism in Rural Areas of the Russian Federation (on the Example of the Stavropol Territory)

In the context of digitalization of the resource potential of a territory, the use of modern geographic information technologies (GIS technologies) for the integrated design of tourist territories based on the compilation of information layers and maps acts as a tool for the formation of a digital model of the object being studied. The purpose of the article is to develop and test tourist geographic information systems (GIS) in the Stavropol Territory of the Russian Federation contributing to solving problems of increasing the efficiency of using tourism resources in rural areas. The problem orientation of GIS technologies was determined by the scientific and applied problems solved with their help, including inventory of tourism resources, assessment, monitoring, management and planning, decision support for the development of tourism in rural areas. The article discusses the issues of assessing the potential of rural areas based on the use of GIS technologies. The assessment methodology was substantiated, which used a scoring approach made it possible to take into account both the natural and recreational resources of the territory, as well as the socio-economic and socio-cultural conditions for the development of tourism by type in the Stavropol Territory. The assessment factors were selected using the method of expert assessments. The assessment procedure and mapping of the territory’s tourist and recreational potential was carried out using the functionality of NextQgis. Each assessment factor was presented as a separate cartographic information layer. Databases for each layer were presented in the form of attribute tables. The problems of developing and maintaining the regional tourist geographic information system in the Stavropol Territory were solved. The ability of GIS technologies to search databases and carry out spatial queries was established, which allowed reducing the time for receiving answers to queries, identifying areas suitable for the required activities, and establishing relationships between various parameters.