Development of a methodology for assessing the tourism sector competitiveness at the national level

Abstract

The aim of this study is to develop and adapt the methodology to assess the tourism industry competitiveness at the national level. International tourism as a source of both direct and indirect incomes of the state, encourages the development of different sectors, not specific to the tourism infrastructure, but through the multiplier effect. In this connection it is urgent to develop new methodological approaches to measure and assess the international competitiveness of countries in order to put countries in a better position in the current competition for tourism revenues. The problem of determining the tourist potential of a particular territory with a view to the most efficient use is a difficult research challenge. The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) has been put in the proposed methodology. The sub-indices, components and indicators that form the TTCI index are used as the parameters that characterize national economy. The application of factor analysis to the TTCI dimension components for the competitiveness of the twelve-dimensional space is reduced to two factors: socially-economic and resource-ecological factors. A two-step cluster analysis in the area of these factors allowed to group fifty-five countries selected for analysis in three homogeneous clusters. Countries, formed in clusters, have similarities in competitive advantages, factors and quality indicators of tourist resources and infrastructure. The comparative analysis of these clusters, using TTCI indicators, allows to describe the formation model of competitiveness in the tourism sector and to determine the qualitative position of the country not only among the closest countries in terms of tourism destination development, but also to draw conclusions about the preferred tourist specialization. 

Keywords: the travel & tourism competitiveness ındex, factor analysis, cluster analysis.