Road Transport in Tourism: Development Prospects and Trends in Russia

Road transport plays an important role in tourism, despite the decline in the total number of tourists being transported. The development of drive tourism is characterized by contradictory processes, heterogeneity in the structure of organized tourist products, the presence of several problems, and constraints both in Russia and worldwide. The present article is aimed at comprehending the role and place of road transport in tourism in the scientific and expert communities, as well as studying the main issues considered in scientific publications, and discussed by experts. The article attempts to assess the perception of individual tourist products by tourists as consumers, to consider factors influencing the formation of positive tourist impression from auto tourism. Based on the analysis of a broad informational background, it is revealed that road transport is not only a way to transfer tourists, but also the basis for a variety of innovative products, while individual transport facilities and highways become part of the historical and cultural base and a key attraction in the region. At that, bus transport and bus tours still play a key role in the structure of road transport. The article examines the specifics of their organization, considers tourists' feedback and expert opinions which serve the basis to characterize main trends and problems in the industry development. The article identifies the main problems and trends in drive tourism in general, as well as in certain sectors of road transportation in the Russian tourism sector. Drive tourism, despite its demand and popularity, is perceived differently by representatives of the tourism industry in Russia and is considered more often as self-dependent travel. At that, interest in this type of travel is growing. Some companies emerge that offer new unusual automobile tours, car quests, car rallies, etc. in Russia and abroad. Mobility, the ability to choose places to visit, the presence of a large number of applications, audio guides, travel guides, etc. determines the popularity of drive tourism in Russia and abroad.