Image Policy as a Tool to Increase the Competitiveness of Recreation Area
Image policy is a complex tool consisting of a strategy and a set of tactical measures aimed at improving the competitiveness of a recreation area and creating competitive advantages. Due to the government support and the performance of significant federal projects and social programs in the republic, there is a significant growth of popularity, loyalty and trust in tourism industry and sanatorium and resort services of Crimea in domestic and international markets. The article studies the resources that determine the territorial identity of the recreation area of the Republic of Crimea. The purpose of the study is to clarify the conceptual definitions of the image policy of the recreation region, to identify conditions, factors, objects and events that favorably affect the image of the territory. The hypothesis of the study is the assumption that the analysis of the current positioning of the Republic of Crimea in different areas of image policy will reveal the conditions, factors, objects and events that increase the competitiveness of the recreation territory and create its competitive advantages. The analysis of conditions, factors, objects and events has shown that the image of the territory is created at international, macro and meso levels. The Republic of Crimea, having been a part of the Russian Federation for seven years, has achieved significant results, as evidenced by national and international ratings. The study revealed that the Republic of Crimea, with its rich resource potential, is poorly represented in a number of ratings or is not represented at all in some significant ratings. Despite some positive trends, there is a number of problems that need to be solved immediately such as public utilities reorganization; development of entertainment industry; getting public-private partnership more involved in coastal facilities developing and maintaining. The existence and condition of objects of cultural and historical heritage, monumental parks of landscape and garden architecture, balneological resources and climatic conditions reflect territorial identity and favorably affect the image of the recreation territory.