ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT ON TOURISM IN THE BALAKAN ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICT

Abstract

The article analyzes the impact of public transport infrastructure on tourism development in the Balakan administrative region located in the northwestern part of Azerbaijan. The main objective of the study is to determine the impact of the existing transport network of the region on tourist mobility, access to tourist sites and the implementation of the tourism potential of the region as a whole. Within the framework of the study, the current state of the public transport system operating in the Balakan region was analyzed, and statistical data on existing route lines, the technical level of the vehicles used, the quality of service and the road infrastructure were studied. The traffic density within the region was calculated using Engel's formula, and the degree of relationship between public transport facilities and tourist activity was determined using Spearman's linear correlation coefficient, and a moderately strong positive correlation was found between them. The results show that some shortcomings of the existing transport infrastructure limit tourists' convenient access to certain facilities, which negatively affects the overall satisfaction of tourists. The article puts forward a number of practical recom-mendations for improving the transport system. These proposals can become an important scientific and practical basis for the development of a sustainable and balanced strategy for tourism development in the Balakan region.