SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITALIZATION OF THE ECONOMY
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The rapid digitalisation of the global economy has transformed the tourism industry by enhancing destination competitiveness, improving service quality, and increasing the efficiency of resource utilisation. However, empirical evidence on how digitalization influences the sustainable development of tourism through macroeconomic performance remains limited in Kazakhstan. This study investigates the relationship between key Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) indicators and the sustainable development of Kazakhstan's tourism industry in the context of economic digitalization. The study employs official Tourism Satellite Account data for the period 2020–2025 obtained from the Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan. A quantitative research design was adopted using comparative and dynamic analyses, Pearson correlation analysis, ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, the integral TSA index, elasticity analysis, and time-series forecasting. The results reveal substantial growth in tourism performance, with domestic tourism consumption increasing from 807.2 to 3,380.0 billion tenge, tourism expenditure rising from 568.9 to 2,800.0 billion tenge, and tourism gross value added expanding from 560.0 to 1,400.0 billion tenge between 2020 and 2025. Correlation analysis demonstrates a very strong positive association between tourism expenditure and gross value added (r = 0.97, p < 0.001), while the regression model exhibits high explanatory power (R² = 0.94). The integral TSA index indicates a continuous transition toward a sustainable tourism development model, reaching its highest level in 2025. Elasticity analysis shows an average coefficient of approximately 0.40, suggesting that a 1% increase in tourism expenditure generated less than a 1% increase in tourism value added. Furthermore, time-series forecasting projects that the number of visitors served in accommodation establishments will reach approximately 2.22 million by 2028, confirming sustained growth in Kazakhstan's tourism industry under ongoing digital transformation.
JEL Classification Codes: Q58, Z31, Z32, O38.
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