PROMISING DIRECTIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPORTS TOURISM IN THE ALMATY REGION USING THE EXAMPLE OF ROCK CLIMBING

The aim of the study was the process of studying the phenomenon of rock climbing development as one of the promising areas of sports tourism in the Almaty region of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which has a wide range of tourist resources systematically involved in various types of tourism. The research method was a large-scale, extended analysis of the tourist attractiveness of the region, and thus defined the most popular tourism destinations, as well as the persistent association of the Almaty region with mountain and foothill terrain, sports tourism and rock climbing. As a result of the research, the authors have formed a clear understanding of rock climbing as one of the promising areas for the development of sports tourism, which is currently becoming increasingly popular among both the local population and tourists of different ages. Sports tourism, rock climbing on natural and artificial (specially created) terrain, requires significant resource provision with respect to both the rock climbing sites, and professional personnel in the field of tourism who possess competencies in the field of sports tourism, ensuring the implementation of this tourist service. The results of the research presented in this article are based on the professional activities of the authors and allow them to have a qualitative impact on the process of training the sports tourism personnel, and contribute to the development of different-level routes for tourists wishing to engage in rock climbing, expand the involvement of tourists and contribute to the development of touristic attractiveness of the regions of the country.