Methodological and Practical Basis for the Formation of a Matrix of Attractiveness of Tourist Sites and Its Role in the Process of Implementing Educational Tourism in the Education System of Higher Education Students

Abstract

The article develops a methodological and practical basis for assessing the attractiveness of regional tourist sites from the point of view of educational tourism. An assessment methodology was created, including groups of criteria and sub-criteria (6 and 53, respectively), selected based on expert evaluation; a matrix was formed, allowing us to calculate integral indicators step by step, which was tested on the example of 50 objects of five regions of Kazakhstan (Central, Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern). In addition, the article implements hierarchical cluster analysis on three blocks of parameters: the first—indicators characterizing the level of education development in the context of 17 regions and 3 cities of republican significance; the second—indicators reflecting the cultural development of the country’s regions; the third—parameters showing the level of development of tourism activities in the regions of Kazakhstan, which allowed us to obtain three clusters that can be used to develop recommendations for the development of education in the regions of Kazakhstan. As a conceptual complementary component of the system of implementation of educational tourism, an audio guide “Tourist sites of Karaganda” was developed and uploaded on the izi.Travel platform.

1. Introduction

Modern transformations, caused by the impact of various kinds of factors, occurring in economic sectors, as well as in the educational environment, predetermined the development of student-centered learning, which is currently one of the effective approaches in the implementation of educational programs by higher education institutions.

It should also be noted that tourism-educational activity, characterized by the active involvement of students in the cognitive process, as a rule, outside the educational institution (in nature/on the territory of a tourist destination/near tourist and excursion objects), serves as an effective tool to activate cognitive processes and develop creative abilities and critical thinking, and also contributes to the effective formation of the pool of knowledge about the surrounding world.

In turn, educational tourism is a unique means, on the one hand, to develop and promote local history through the prism of field trips, where a special role is played by tourist objects, and on the other hand, to form a new educational environment, characterized by the possibility for students to acquire new knowledge and skills, directly or indirectly related to the main profession in the educational programs studied.

According to the analytical portal Grand View Research, the global educational tourism market is estimated at USD 365.9 billion in 2022; experts note that the expected average annual growth rate from 2023 to 2030 will be 13%.

The key factors influencing the countries and regions of the world according to surveys of their identification as world educational centers/places of attraction for educational tourists include increased demand for authentic regional educational products, growing interest in event events (including educational events), the formation of niche consumer groups (e.g., researchers, “digital nomads”, etc.), as well as the desire on the part of potential customers to combine active learning with learning something. The US, UK, Canada, and Ireland are among the most favored destinations for education. Educational institutions in such countries tend to have higher academic standards and follow strict rules to maintain quality. For instance, according to the QS 2023 world ranking, 27 universities out of the top 100 are located in the US, with the PRC, India, South Korea, Canada, and Saudi Arabia accounting for about 63.6 percent of educational tourists to the US in 2020 [1].

According to the Skyquest platform, language programs, academic exchanges, and professional development courses are the most popular forms of educational tourism in the world. Generally, they are most in demand among undergraduate students, academics/researchers, and professionals seeking to enhance/improve their education, acquire new skills, and expand career opportunities. It is also important to note that the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has also contributed to a shift in educational travel preferences towards the domestic market, which for some consumers is preferable, given the new opportunities offered by the possibility of obtaining affordable education at home, as well as discovering local cultural, historical and natural attractions, and, as a consequence, expanding their horizons and popularizing regions as tourist destinations, with the potential to increase the number of visitors to the region [2].

The purpose of this scientific article is to develop the theoretical and methodological-practical bases for forming the matrix of attractiveness of tourist objects using the example of regions of Kazakhstan and to determine its role in implementing educational tourism in the system of education of higher school students.

The main tasks are defined as follows:

• Conducting a cluster analysis, the purpose of which is to group the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the context of parameters characterizing the development of educational tourism in the country;
• Identification of criteria and sub-criteria for assessing the attractiveness of tourist facilities from the position of development and adaptation of the basic principles of educational tourism;
• Definition of groups of objects in the context of the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, for which an expert assessment will be made in the framework of the selected criteria;
• Defining the role of the matrix in the process of implementation of educational tourism in the educational environment within the framework of student-centered learning in Kazakhstan;
• Development of the SMART audio guide “Tourist objects of Karaganda city” (preparation of the route thread, description of the objects of the show and tell, calculation of the length) and uploading it in three languages (Kazakh, Russian, and English) on the platform is.Travel for further free use by all educational institutions of the region.

The main research questions posed by this study are as follows:

• What parameters characterizing the development of educational tourism can be used for cluster analysis and to influence the results of grouping the regions of Kazakhstan? (RQ1).
• What criteria and sub-criteria can include the matrix of assessment of tourist objects of the region from the position of educational tourism development? (RQ2).
• How can the obtained assessments presented in the matrix be used in the construction of route threads and the creation of SMART audio guides? (RQ3).

2. Literature Review

The literature review presented below deeply examines various aspects of educational tourism, emphasizing the importance of its integration into the academic environment, which is directly related to the purpose of the article, which is associated with the development of theoretical and methodological–practical foundations for the formation of a matrix of the attractiveness of tourist sites and the identification of its role for the development of educational tourism and its successful implementation in the system of higher education.

The review pays special attention to the issue of forming students’ cognitive and social skills through participation in tourist activities, which is entirely consistent with the study’s task of creating an effective system for assessing the tourist attractiveness of sites for the development of educational tourism and its subtypes. This is confirmed by various studies within the framework, which reflect that educational tourism contributes to student-centered learning and the development of intercultural communication necessary for implementing international student exchanges, as discussed in the article.

An essential part of the literature review is the discussion of the role of cluster analysis, which is used in the article to classify the regions of Kazakhstan by the level of development of educational tourism (in the context of 3 blocks of criteria and 59 sub-parameters)—this emphasizes the importance of a scientific approach to the development of a matrix of attractiveness of tourist sites. In addition, a unique role is given to the digital transformation of educational tourism and new technologies (development of online platforms and audio guides), which is closely related to one of the critical objectives of the article—the development of a SMART audio guide.

Separately, the issues of sustainable development and features of using GIS technologies to analyze tourist routes are considered, which can be helpful for further research, especially in assessing a region’s/country’s tourism resources.

The literature also emphasizes the importance of forming strategies for interaction between educational institutions and local communities. It notes the importance of a multi-criteria approach to assessing tourist sites. It is directly related to creating a matrix of tourist sites’ attractiveness, considering various factors, and focusing on practical applications.

2.1. Features of Educational Tourism Development in the Conditions of Globalization, Digital Transformation of Educational Institutions, as Well as Within the Framework of Implementation of the Main Principles of Student-Centered Learning

Educational tourism at the present stage is characterized by the active involvement of students in the learning process, the development of cognitive abilities, the expansion of horizons, as well as the implementation of learning elements related to the preservation of the environment and the implementation of the principles of sustainable development of tourist territories and socialization [3].

The introduction of tourism activity components into the educational process emphasizes the relevance of experiential learning, the use of training, training seminars, summer schools, and the implementation of scientific and practical activities, thus contributing to the quality of learning and improving social interaction between students, which, in turn, acts as an essential factor of modern communication [4,5]. Through curricular approaches with elements of tourism education, unique educational experiences combining travel with educational content are being created everywhere [6]. In addition, switching to educational programs that combine a tourism and recreation component increases students’ engagement with social sciences, making the learning process more integrated and holistic [7].

At the current stage of economic development, it is reasonable to say that educational tourism combines knowledge (and, due to its multidisciplinary nature, from different fields of science), behavioral characteristics of an individual, and scientific aspects that are crucial for the formation and development of soft skills in conducting research [8].

The role of academic exchanges increases every year; in this regard, the issues of researching motivational factors and determining the role of the university image in the migration educational processes become especially relevant [9,10,11].

Student exchange programs play an important role in promoting sustainable tourism development [12]; at the same time, higher education institutions provide significant support to local communities by implementing the principles of educational tourism, including through student-centered learning [13].

However, it is important to note that the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has had an impact on the education system, transforming it significantly, fueling the development of online learning, and the formation of a variety of educational digital ecosystems, platforms, and applications [14,15,16,17].

In addition, the pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities in education, particularly affecting low-income families, leading to problems in accessing educational resources [18]. This, in turn, has necessitated the development of effective regional and country strategies for crisis management in education, necessary to ensure the adaptation of educational institutions to the realities of the market, aimed at digitalization, personnel policy, and branding [19].

It is important to note that in the scientific literature, there is still no unified approach to the study of the level of attractiveness of tourist sites from the perspective of the development of educational tourism (especially from the standpoint of matrix evaluation). Therefore, the article presented in the scientific article has scientific novelty and practice-oriented characteristics.

For further successful implementation of educational tourism and its implementation in the system of higher school education, it is necessary to have an effective system of marketing and communications, distribution of resources, providing opportunities for optimal implementation of educational programs, as well as the development of a comprehensive methodology for assessing tourism resources that can be used for the formation and implementation of tourist routes and their inclusion in the educational process [20,21].

2.2. The Role of Universities in the Development of Educational Tourism

Universities are key players in the educational tourism market, contributing to the creation and commercialization of innovations, knowledge transfer, student entrepreneurship, service, and enterprise markets. They also contribute to international student exchanges and the popularization of tourism [11,22,23,24]. In addition, universities can contribute to environmental sustainability through science tourism by creating favorable attitudes towards nature, adjusting tourist behavior to some extent, and forming sustainable tourist destinations [25,26].

Higher education institutions foster relations between tourists and local communities and promote inclusiveness in higher [27].

The use of social networks by universities is also becoming one of the relevant factors in the development of educational tourism, as they act as the most important communication aspect of promotion and creation of a favorable image [28,29,30].

2.3. Digitalization and Smartification of Educational Tourism

In the conditions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), digitalization and smartification of educational tourism are considered promising directions of development, as modern information and communication technologies represented by the Internet of Things, big data, blockchain, virtualization, etc., allow the development of new-format tourism products with active involvement and learning using interactive solutions [31,32].

It is important to highlight digital technologies’ characteristics, such as flexibility, adaptability, and customization, to meet the needs of educational market participants. These characteristics contribute to their more effective use by university students and teachers [33,34,35,36].

At the same time, it is worth noting a pool of publications, among which are works [37,38] dedicated to integrating digital technologies with the main processes of professional training of future tourism professionals. Taken together, these studies highlight the potential of digitalization to improve the quality and relevance of educational tourism and the importance of digital literacy and competence of learners [39,40,41,42].

Also in the scientific literature in recent years, special attention has been paid to the development of educational itineraries and audio guides with their subsequent placement on a variety of platforms, including izi.Travel, YouTravel.Me, GetYourGuide, WeGoTrip, Travelry and others [43,44,45].

2.4. Specifics of Educational Tourism Potential Assessment: Main Approaches and Methods

A number of scientific publications have explored the potential of educational tourism. For example, Hale (2019) used GIS to analyze the environmental and social impacts of educational tourism programs implemented in universities, highlighting the need for sustainable travel behavior [46]. McGladdery (2017) proposed a new model of educational tourism, emphasizing its high potential for hybridization with other types of tourism and outlining its advantages [47].

Attaalla (2020) assessed the role of educational tourism in Egypt, identifying the need for joint academic programs with tourism companies [48]. Hussein (2022) developed a demand model for educational tourism by identifying per capita income, the price of the finished tourism product, the prices of competitor countries and the quality of services provided by universities as key factors [49].

It is also important to note that in many works, educational tourism is considered either as an independent component or as a part of the tourism and recreational potential when assessing it; however, there is still no unified scientific approach that can be fully used to carry out the assessment [50,51,52,53,54,55].

3. Methodology

The research conducted in the article was built on the solution of 3 key research questions, which allowed to achieve the main objective related to the development of theoretical and methodological–practical foundations of the formation of the matrix of the attractiveness of tourist objects on the example of the regions of Kazakhstan and determining its role in the process of implementation of educational tourism in the system of education of higher school students.

In this regard, the research methodology included 3 main stages:

• Grouping the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan by the level of educational tourism development based on hierarchical cluster analysis in the context of the selected statistical parameters;
• Formation of the criterion base (allocation of groups of criteria and sub-criteria in each group) and the matrix of assessment of tourist objects of the region from the position of educational tourism development; their testing on the example of tourist objects in the context of the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, previously assessed based on statistical criteria;
• Development of a SMART audio guide “Tourist objects of Karaganda city” as a conceptual complementary component of the system of implementation of educational tourism in the learning environment of higher school students.

3.1. Main Stages of Cluster Analysis of Regions from the Position of Educational Tourism Development

For cluster analysis within the framework of this research paper, all indicators were divided into 3 blocks: the first—indicators characterizing the level of education development in the context of 17 regions and 3 cities of republican significance of the Republic of Kazakhstan (10; CED_1-CED_10); the second—indicators reflecting the cultural development of the country’s regions (46; CDC_1-CDC_46); the third—parameters showing the level of development of tourism activities in the regions of Kazakhstan (3; TDC_-TDC_3). In total, data on 59 parameters were obtained for the analysis (Appendix A). The choice of parameters was conditioned by the expert judgement of the team of specialists-researchers implementing the grant project AP14871422 “Development of the model of implementation of educational tourism in the system of education of higher school students: theory, methodology, practice”, financed by the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

It should also be noted that there are limitations associated with the lack of official data, fully and in detail characterizing the development of the tourism market in Kazakhstan; in this regard, only 3 indicators were selected for analysis: the number of accommodation facilities, the number of rooms in accommodation facilities and one-time capacity (beds) of accommodation facilities.

Further, standardized values were obtained, which formed the basis for conducting a hierarchical cluster analysis using Stata 18 software.

The following advantages determined the choice of hierarchical cluster analysis: it is a fairly flexible clustering method that provides ample opportunities for subsequent data visualization (using dendrogram construction), as well as adaptation to research tasks and data structures; flexibility in choosing similarity and unification metrics (in our case, this is the Euclidean distance); no need to restart the clustering process when changing the number of clusters; the ability to detect nested clusters, which can be useful if the clusters are divided into subgroups.

The final breakdown resulted in three clusters: the first one united 17 regions and 1 city of republican importance—Shymkent; the second one was represented by the city of Astana; and the third one by the city of Almaty.

3.2. Formation of Groups of Criteria and Sub-Criteria for Evaluation of Tourist Objects of the Regions, as well as a Matrix from the Position of Their Attractiveness for the Development of Educational Tourism

Groups of criteria by the expert group (consisting of members of the research team, representatives of tourism business, tourism specialists, and senior students of the Karaganda Buketov University, specialty “Tourism”); the period of expert evaluation was January-March 2024, the total number of experts who participated in the assessment was 37 people), and the educational component (Ed), infrastructural component (Infr), accessibility and safety (AvSec), communication and marketing component (CommMark), natural and cultural–historical component (NatCaH), component related to issues of sustainable development of territories (SustDev) were identified. Each group included 8, 7, 12, 7, 11, and 8 sub-criteria for evaluation. Next, a conceptual evaluation matrix (considering the highlighted evaluation criteria) was developed, presented in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Conceptual matrix of assessment of objects from the position of educational tourism development. Note—developed by the authors.

It is important to note that this matrix is not limited to the number of potential tourism sites that can be included for evaluation, nor to the criteria, the list of which can be extended by the researcher at his/her discretion within the framework of the analysis. In our case, 6 criteria and 53 sub-criteria were identified and analyzed.

The mean scores obtained from all experts in the context of the selected sub-criterion (Subcrn) are denoted as L. It should also be noted that the weight of the main criteria (CrWeightn) for calculating the integral value for each region is also determined based on expert judgment. It should also be noted that TO stands for tourist attraction/tourist object, and R stands for the region where the assessment is made.

The overall integral indicator for the region (IntValue_r) is calculated by means of an arithmetic weighted average based on the average score obtained in the context of all groups of criteria (Crn)—Formulas (1)–(3):

$${IntValue}_r={\displaystyle \frac{\left({Cr}_1\ast {CrWeight}_1+{Cr}_2\ast {CrWeight}_2\dots +{Cr}_i\ast {CrWeight}_i\right)}{n}},$$

(1)

$${Cr}_1={\displaystyle \frac{\left({Subcr}_1+{Subcr}_2+\dots {Subcr}_i\right)}{n}},$$

(2)

$${CrWeight}_{sum}=1,$$

(3)

where n—number of observations, sum—sum of all indicators of weighting of values under the main evaluation criteria, i—number of sub-criteria.

The final integral value is obtained by calculating the average indicator based on the calculations performed for all regions.

3.3. Development of SMART Audio Guide as a Conceptual Complementary Component of the System of Implementation of Educational Tourism in the Learning Environment of Higher Education Students

The main stages of audio guide creation included the following:

• Defining the topics: relevant, interesting and useful for the educational process within the framework of implementation of the main provisions of the concept of student-centered learning, including those focused on taking into account the research interests of students;
• Development of the excursion plan with the definition of the objects of demonstration and their distribution on the map (preliminary routing);
• Defining the type of the route and calculating its length;
• Formation of the description of each object in 3 languages: Kazakh, Russian, and English; the choice of these three languages is conditioned by the fact that students’ education in the region’s universities is conducted in 2 languages (Kazakh, Russian), and also there are specialties where training is conducted within the framework of polylingual education, i.e., in 3 languages (for example, the specialty “Tourism” (bachelor’s degree) on the basis of the Karaganda Buketov University); therefore, for convenience and maximum coverage of listeners, development of language competences of students it was accepted;
• Creation of an actual pool of photographic materials of the objects (by members of the research team using professional photographic equipment);
• Recording audio tracks in 3 languages for each object;
• Uploading the audio guide to the izi.Travel platform;
• Preparation of QR codes for quick access to the audio guide;
• Dissemination of information about the audio guide by publishing information in social networks, on the official website of the University, etc.

It is important to note that the translation of the material into Kazakh was carried out by members of the research team—native speakers, and into English—by teachers who teach students within the framework of multilingual training and have a certificate of language training—IELTS with a level not lower than B2.

4. Results

4.1. RQ1: What Parameters Characterizing the Development of Educational Tourism Can Be Used for Cluster Analysis, as Well as Influence the Results of Grouping the Regions of Kazakhstan?

Table 1 shows the stages of clustering of regions it reflects values such as steps, number of clusters, level of similarity, distance, clusters that emerged during the clustering process and new clusters obtained in the final step.

Table 1. Amalgamation steps.

Step	Number of Clusters	Similarity Level	Distance Level	Clusters Joined		New Cluster	Number of Observations in New Cluster
1	19	84.6003	3.6097	3	11	3	2
2	18	84.0194	3.7458	5	12	5	2
3	17	78.8109	4.9667	3	10	3	3
4	16	78.0722	5.1398	3	13	3	4
5	15	77.0363	5.3826	4	8	4	2
6	14	76.2691	5.5625	5	16	5	3
7	13	74.3014	6.0237	6	7	6	2
8	12	72.6454	6.4118	3	6	3	6
9	11	71.3441	6.7169	3	14	3	7
10	10	69.2052	7.2182	4	17	4	3
11	9	66.3804	7.8803	3	4	3	10
12	8	62.6563	8.7533	5	20	5	4
13	7	60.9275	9.1585	9	15	9	2
14	6	60.5736	9.2414	2	3	2	11
15	5	56.5326	10.1886	1	5	1	5
16	4	56.2840	10.2469	2	9	2	13
17	3	44.1492	13.0913	1	2	1	18
18	2	34.6271	15.3232	18	19	18	2
19	1	0.0000	23.4397	1	18	1	20

Note—obtained by the authors as part of the cluster analysis.

Further, Table 2 shows the final result of the division of regions into three clusters, where the first one combines 17 regions of Kazakhstan and 1 city of republican significance, and the next two are represented only by the cities of Almaty and Astana, respectively.

Table 2. Final partition.

№ of Cluster	Number of Observations	Within Cluster Sum of Squares	Average Distance from Centroid	Maximum Distance from Centroid
Cluster1	18	557.841	5.37772	8.50822
Cluster2	1	0.000	0.00000	0.00000
Cluster3	1	0.000	0.00000	0.00000

Note—obtained by the authors as part of the cluster analysis.

Table 3 shows the distances between the centroids of the three obtained clusters.

Table 3. Distances between cluster centroids.

Clusters	Cluster 1	Cluster 2	Cluster 3
Cluster1	0.0000	12.7070	21.2419
Cluster2	12.7070	0.0000	15.3232
Cluster3	21.2419	15.3232	0.0000

Note—obtained by the authors as part of the cluster analysis.

Table 3 shows the distances between the centroids of the three clusters identified in the hierarchical cluster analysis. It reflects how strongly the groups of objects within the clusters differ regarding the selected evaluation criteria: smaller values mean the clusters are closer. Larger values mean that they are more distant.

Figure 2 graphically displays the result of the final division of Kazakhstan regions into three clusters. The first one (blue color) unites 17 regions and one city of republican significance: Abay, Akmola, Aktobe, Almaty, Atyrau, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Zhetisu, Karaganda, Kostanay, Kyzylorda, Mangistau, Pavlodar, North Kazakhstan, Turkestan, Ulytau, East Kazakhstan regions and the city of Shymkent; the second (red) is represented by the city of Astana, the third (green)—by the city of Almaty, characterizing the similarity of the regions included in each of them by the level of educational tourism development in the context of 59 selected criteria.

Figure 2. Dendrogram reflecting the results of cluster analysis of the regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan by the level of educational tourism development. Note—obtained by the authors based on the results of the cluster analysis.

Thus, the obtained division—three clusters—gives a clear idea of the similarity of the regions in terms of the 59 parameters identified by the authors, divided into three blocks. The results of this cluster analysis can be useful for the development of state and regional programs, where special emphasis should be placed on intensifying efforts to develop educational tourism, defining its role, as well as its implementation in the educational process of higher education, regardless of the type and type of educational programs and learning paths; however, such activities should be directly related to ensuring the quality of the educational process, as well as to the implementation of the basic principles of student-centered learning.

4.2. RQ2: What Criteria and Sub-Criteria Can the Matrix of Assessment of Tourist Objects of the Region from the Position of Educational Tourism Development Include?

The conclusions obtained in the framework of cluster analysis allow us to form a matrix (discussed in the “Methods” section), highlighting the necessary criteria and sub-criteria, and then apply it to carry out an assessment of tourist sites in the regions of Kazakhstan from the position of educational tourism development (Table 4).

Table 4. Criteria and sub-criteria of the matrix of assessment of tourist objects of the region from the position of educational tourism development.

Evaluation Criteria and Sub-Criteria
1. Educational component (Ed)
1.1. The degree of active involvement in the process of learning during the introduction and inspection of the tourism destination (Ed_1).
1.2. The possibility of broadening the horizon through familiarization with the history and design features of the tourist destination (Ed_2).
1.3. The possibility of adapting and implementing the knowledge acquired in the process of getting to know the tourist destination into the educational process, including the implementation of the principles of student-centered learning (Ed_3).
1.4. The degree of influence of the knowledge acquired/skills learned in the process of site inspection on the formation/development of soft skills (Ed_4).
1.5. The extent to which the process of engagement during the inspection and familiarization with the object influences the development of critical thinking (Ed_5).
1.6. Quality of educational programs (Ed_6).
1.7. Availability of educational programs in foreign languages oriented to the admission of foreign students (Ed_7).
1.8. Diversity of educational opportunities in the region/directly at the tourism destination, characterized by the variety of educational programs and courses offered in different areas in the region (Ed_8).
2. Infrastructure component (Infr)
2.1. The quantity and quality of service provided by accommodation facilities, including guest houses (Infr_1).
2.2. Quantity and quality of catering facilities, including aspects related to the observance of sanitary norms in food preparation (Infr_2).
2.3. Availability and adequacy of tourist information centers, tourism firms and tour companies (Infr_3).
2.4. Availability and quality of information and communication infrastructure (Internet access, computer labs, etc.) (Infr_4).
2.5. Availability and accessibility of educational institutions, including higher education institutions (Infr_5).
2.6. Availability and adequacy of the number of tourism firms engaged in the organization of educational tours within the framework of domestic tourism (Infr_6).
2.7. Availability and adequacy of the number of tourism firms organizing outbound educational tours (Infr_7).
3. Accessibility and security (AvSec)
3.1. The level of value for money of the services provided in the tourism region/destination (AvSec_1).
3.2. Level of transport infrastructure development (AvSec_2).
3.3. Proximity of major transport hubs to the tourism destination (AvSec_3).
3.4. Transport accessibility, including international connections (AvSec_4).
3.5. Availability and level of development of a barrier-free environment within access to the tourism destination (AvSec_5).
3.6. Availability of medical care, including compliance with sanitary and epidemiological standards and pandemic restrictions (AvSec_6).
3.7. Information accessibility of the facility: availability of specialized software products, applications, etc. for different consumer groups (AvSec_7).
3.8. Availability of navigation and signage for tourists at the site (AvSec_8).
3.9. Level of development of a barrier-free environment (AvSec_9).
3.10. Level of safety at the tourist site itself (AvSec_10).
3.11. Level of safety in public transport (AvSec_11).
3.12. Safety level in accommodation (AvSec_12).
4. Communication and marketing component (CommMark)
4.1. Existence of targeted marketing strategies and campaigns to attract tourists to the region/to a specific tourist destination (CommMark_1).
4.2. Existence of a variety of media platforms aimed at creating information awareness of tourists about the site/s of the show and tell (CommMark_2).
4.3. Existence of an established link between tourism sites/destinations and educational institutions (CommMark_3).
4.4. The level of established online communication with tourists, including through social networks, blogs, tourist chat rooms, etc. (CommMark_4). (CommMark_4).
4.5. Availability of specialized marketing activities aimed at supporting local educational initiatives (CommMark_5).
4.6. The level of influence of social networks on the formation and development of educational communities and the exchange of knowledge on the region’s tourist attractions or on a specific object of show and tell (CommMark_6).
4.7. The use of modern information and communication technologies to increase the tourist’s involvement in the process of learning while getting acquainted with the objects of show and tell of the tourist area.
5. Natural and cultural–historical component (NatCaH)
5.1. Diversity of natural landscapes of the territory.
5.2. Presence of unique natural objects.
5.3. Presence of unique monuments of art and architecture.
5.4. Biological diversity of the tourist area where the site is located.
5.5. Frequency of events held in the tourism territory.
5.6. The presence and diversity of museums, galleries, exhibition halls, etc.
5.7. Opportunity to form unique educational tourism experiences through participation in cultural events, and to acquire skills through learning local crafts.
5.8. Opportunity for interactive teaching/learning at the tourism site/area.
5.9. Level of inclusiveness of cultural and historic tourism programs that have an educational component and can generate sustained tourism interest in the site/area.
5.10. Availability and variety of additional services.
5.11. Ability to implement the knowledge gained about natural and cultural-historical sites in the education system of higher education students.
6. Component related to sustainable territorial development issues (SustDev)
6.1. Implementation of educational programs on environmental sustainability of tourist territories/hotel tourist facilities.
6.2. The level of involvement of local communities in implementing educational tours at the tourist site.
6.3. Availability and implementation of tourism programs aimed at educating tourists/excursionists on the sustainable development of territories.
6.4. Availability of certification of accommodation facilities in the region from recognized organizations confirming compliance with sustainable development standards.
6.5. Frequency of educational events related to the sustainable development of tourist territories.
6.6. Level of social and economic inclusiveness.
6.7. Degree of interaction of local executive bodies and communities with the region’s educational institutions on the sustainable development of tourist territories.
6.8. Intensity of information and communication technologies application to enhance the sustainability of tourism territories.

Note—compiled by the authors.

The considered matrix was tested on the example of a number of tourist sites (Table 5), which are of particular interest in terms of their potential for the development of educational tourism, in the context of five regions of the country: Central, Southern, Northern, Eastern and Western Kazakhstan.

Table 5. List of tourist sites in Central, South, North, East and West Kazakhstan, included in the assessment from the position of attractiveness and applicability for educational tourism development.

№	Tourist Sites and Their Brief Description
Central Kazakhstan
1	Karkaraly State National Nature Park—organized in 1998; belongs to the second category of specially protected natural territories with the status of nature conservation and scientific institution of Republican significance. It has 5 relatively isolated mountain groups: Buguly, Shankoza, Matena, Airtau and Kent. The territory of the park is inhabited by the mountain sheep—argali, listed in the Red Book; there are also 46 species of mammals, 234 species of birds, 6 species of reptiles, 2 species of amphibians and 15 species of fish.
2	The Spassk Memorial Complex is a burial place for victims of political repressions during the years of totalitarianism, as well as prisoners of war and internees of the Second World War. It is a historical monument
3	The Central Park of Culture and Recreation of Karaganda is one of the largest parks in Kazakhstan; it hosts events, sports competitions, etc.; it is a popular recreation place for local residents and guests of the city.
4	The Karlag Museum is a museum commemorating the victims of political repression.
5	Mausoleum of Zhoshy Khan (Djuchi Khan) is an architectural monument of the 14th century; located 50 km from the city of Zhezkazgan on the bank of the Kengir River.
6	Ereimentau (“small mountains”) is a mountain range interesting for the study of geology and natural landscapes by researchers and students. It is part of the ancient Timan-Altaic mountain system.
7	Botanical Garden of Karaganda—founded in 1940 to conduct research work on breeding and selection of promising plant species for arid regions.
8	Balkhash Lake—a semi-freshwater lake; one of the largest inland drainless reservoirs on Earth.
9	Bektauata mountain massif—located at an altitude of 600 to 1214 metres above sea level. Weathering processes destroyed granites, as a result of which, the mountains took the most unusual shapes, receiving the following names: “Mushroom”, “Chest”, “Turtle”, “Three-toothed”.
10	Karaganda Zoo is one of the oldest in Kazakhstan; it was founded in 1938; it contains more than 1000 animals, 70% of which are listed in the Red Book.
South Kazakhstan
1	The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yassawi in the city of Turkestan (formerly Yassy)—built between 1389 and 1405 by order of Tamerlane. It was erected in honor of the great thinker and poet Ahmed Yassawi. The mausoleum, mosque, khanaka, administrative and economic premises are located on the territory of the complex. The mausoleum is a masterpiece of architecture and an outstanding monument of medieval architecture.
2	The ancient city of Otrar (formerly Farab, named in honor of the great thinker, philosopher and mathematician Abu-Nasr Al-Farabi) is one of the most ancient cities of Central Asia. In 1219 Otrar fell under the onslaught of Genghis Khan’s army. It was the center of trade and the crossing of caravan routes. It is located 57 km from the city of Turkestan. It is an open-air archaeological museum and is protected by the state.
3	“Kolsai Lakes” State National Nature Park—includes a cascade of lakes: Upper, Mynzholki and Lower. They are characterized by clear fresh water; they are located in a gorge. The flora of the NPP includes more than 200 species of vertebrate animals and 700 species of plants, among which Kungai wattle, Adonis golden, Adonis Tianshan, orange jaundice, Shrenka spruce are included in the Red Book of Kazakhstan. Lake Kaindy is one of the natural wonders of Southern Kazakhstan, a member of the Kolsai group of lakes. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that the trunks of spruce trees rise right in the middle of the reservoir.
4	The Charyn Canyon is a landmark located 200 km from the city of Almaty. The canyon stretches for 154 km along the Charyn River. It is a natural monument made of sedimentary rocks, which are about 12 million years old.
5	Aksu-Zhabagli State Nature Reserve—the flora of which includes 1737 species; mammals are represented by 52 species. In 2015, it was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kazakhstan as a biosphere reserve.
6	The Medeu High Altitude Ice Rink is the world’s largest high-altitude complex (1700 m above sea level) designed for winter sports; it has the world’s largest artificial ice field. It also hosts a variety of events, international song contests and sports competitions. It is a monument of town-planning and architecture of the Republican significance.
7	Shymkent State Zoological Park—contains more than 2800 animals, including 43 species listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan; opened in 1980.
8	Aisha-bibi Mausoleum is an architectural monument of X–XII centuries. According to legend, Aisha-bibi was the beloved of Karakhan, who built a mausoleum in her honor.
9	Mausoleum of Arystan-Baba—a structure erected in honor of the religious figure of the 12th century—Arystan-Baba, who, according to historians, was also the teacher and spiritual adviser of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. The mausoleum is an architectural monument.
10	Tamgaly-Tas—petroglyphs and ancient rock paintings located in a tract near the Ili River 120 km north of Almaty.
North Kazakhstan
1	Saryarka—Steppes and lakes of Northern Kazakhstan. It is a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE; Korgalzhyn and Naurzum reserves are located here. It includes two groups of lakes with fresh and salt water, which support populations of globally threatened species, including Siberian Crane, Pink Flamingo, Gyrfalcon, White-tailed Eagle, Savka, Dalmatian Pelican and others.
2	National-cultural complex “Ethnoaul” is a tourist object created for EXPO-2017 in Kazakhstan with the purpose of acquainting visitors with the culture and life of the Kazakh people. It includes 30 yurts and various small architectural forms.
3	Archaeological monument “Bekteniz”—consists of 10 burial mounds of the Bronze Age. Bronze mirrors, women’s jewellery and many others were found here.
4	Lake Imantau—located 90 km from the city of Kokshetau; it is notable for its beautiful nature, as it is adjoined by rocks, birch, coniferous, aspen forests, medicinal herbs; there is an island on the lake.
5	The memorial complex of Karasai and Agyntai batyrs—opened in 1999 and is dedicated to the development of the tradition of ancient Turkic stakes of kagans, as well as to the memory of great batyrs.
6	Astrophysical Research Centre, Astrophysical Observatory—is located based on Kozybayev University, equipped with projection equipment of Leariving Technologies, USA. This is one of the biggest telescopes in the country, allowing to solve modern scientific problems.
7	“Botai” settlement is an Eneolithic monument located on the bank of the Iman-Burluk River. 158 dwellings were found on the territory of the settlement during archaeological excavations under the direction of Professor V. Seibert.
8	Museum complex “Abylai Khan’s Residence”—founded in 2007; a historical museum. It is also a monument of town-planning and architecture of republican importance. The museum complex is dedicated to the life and activity of Abylai Khan.
9	State National Natural Park “Burabai”—tourist and recreational resort of Kazakhstan, founded in 1910; there are 14 large and many small lakes; Burabai fauna includes about 300 species of vertebrates, flora—about 800 species of forest, meadow, saline plants.
10	Botanical garden of Petropavlovsk is one of the oldest in Kazakhstan; it includes a greenhouse, winter garden, squares, mini-dendrarium, pond for waterfowl, vivarium, zoological corner, aviaries with exotic species of birds, aquatic with exotic species of fish.
West Kazakhstan
1	Ustyurt Plateau—the landscapes of the plateau have a unique beauty, as this area used to be under water and then transformed into an upland. It has sheer walls reaching up to 400 m in height in some places. In 2018, the Ustyurt mouflon (or Ustyurt ram), thought to be extinct, was discovered here.
2	The underground mosque of Shopan-Ata is one of the oldest monuments of architecture of X–XIX centuries, which has a necropolis and an underground mosque. Since 1982 it has been a monument of history and culture of republican significance. Here is the burial place of one of the disciples of Khoja Ahmed Yassaui—Shopan-Ata—a great Sufi philosopher and mystic.
3	The underground mosque of Beket-Ata—cut out in a rock massif; this object is a spiritual and historical relic of Kazakhstan, where Beket-Ata (Pir-Beket)—a famous religious figure, educator and batyr spent a certain period of time.
4	The city of “Kyzyl-Kala” is an archeological monument of X–XIII centuries, located in Mangistau district of Mangistau region. This city is a part of a large trade and crafts city that emerged on the caravan route of the northern branch of the Great Silk Road. In 2012, the site was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.
5	Ak-Zhaiyk Biosphere Reserve is a natural complex of the Ural River delta. There are 292 bird species registered here, among which there are some rare species: dalmatian pelican, little cormorant, Egyptian heron, little white heron, yellow heron and many others. The theriofauna is represented by 48 species of mammals, which is more than 25% of the entire mammal fauna of Kazakhstan.
6	Bozzhyra tract is one of the largest sights of Mangistau; the tract appeared at the bottom of the ancient ocean of Tethys. It represents majestic light beige rocks.
7	Kyzylkup tract is a mountain made of colored marine sediments; the tract is 10 km long. One of the key sights is Bokty Mountain, depicted on the 1000 tenge note.
8	House-museum of Y.I. Pugachev—located in the city of Uralsk; dedicated to the memory of Yemelyan Pugachev. Since 1991 it has been a branch of the West Kazakhstan Regional Museum of History and Local Lore. Every year in spring the museum hosts a folklore and music festival “Larks”.
9	Historical complex “Bokey Ordasy”—a historical and museum complex, where the objects of the era of reign of Zhangir Khan have been preserved.
10	Valley of stone balls in Mangystau (Torysh) is one of the visiting cards of Mangystau; here, on the territory of the valley, scattered more than a thousand stone balls (in diameter from 1 to 3 m), which have a natural geological origin.
East Kazakhstan
1	Rakhmanovskie Klyuchi—therapeutic springs flowing into Rakhmanovskoe Lake. The springs were discovered in 1769. The water temperature is from +32 to +42 degrees Celsius. The highest mosque in the country is also located here.
2	Katon-Karagai State National Natural Park—was established in 2001 to preserve and restore the unique natural complexes of Southern Altai. Many tourist routes have been created and operate on its territory, among them: the scientific-cognitive trail “Rakhmanovskie Klyuchi”, the excursion trail (route) “Altai Trails”, the tourist and excursion route “Ozerny” and many others.
3	East Kazakhstan regional architectural-ethnographic and natural-landscape museum-reserve—consists of 3 key buildings—administrative building and directly 2 buildings of the museum-reserve, which, in turn, are also historical and architectural monuments. It is a unique natural, cultural and architectural object.
4	The State Historical-Cultural and Literary-Memorial Reserve-Museum of Abai “Zhidebai-Borili”—was founded in 1940, has 21 thousand exhibits, 16 thousand publications, includes a library, head museum, house-museum of Abai, house-museum of M. Auezov, house-museum of Sh. Abenov, house-museum of A. Naimanbayev and house-museum of K. Orazalin.
5	Old Austrian road—was built in 1914–1916; a historical monument of the East Kazakhstan region.
6	Mount Belukha—a mountain in East Kazakhstan, whose peaks are covered with snow and ice; the summit is a snow-white peak 4506 m high. It is very popular among mountaineers.
7	Lake Alakol is a bitter-salt lake in Kazakhstan, which is famous for its healing properties. Beach tourism is actively developing here.
8	Berel barrows—a complex of burial mounds dating back to the V–IV centuries BC. It consists of more than 100 burial mounds. The State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve “Berel” was established in 2008.
9	Bukhtarma Reservoir is a reservoir formed by a dam on the Irtysh River, the largest in Kazakhstan. It is a popular holiday destination for local and foreign tourists.
10	Podbelkov Lake is a unique natural object, famous for its high radon content, which got into the reservoir from an abandoned adit. It is located at an altitude of 1906.5 m above sea level.

Note—compiled by the authors as part of ongoing research.

Another important aspect of the assessment is that in the study the term “tourist destination” can be understood as a group of sites located in the same territory, as well as, in general, a tourist destination. In addition, educational institutions were not considered as individual objects, as the assessment was more quantitative in terms of sub-criterion 2.5 of parameter 2.

For the analysis, 10 objects of show and tell of Central, Southern, Northern, Western and Eastern Kazakhstan were selected each, which have the greatest impact on the formation of tourist interest.

Evaluation within the identified criteria and sub-criteria framework was carried out on a 10-point scale, where 1 is the minimum and 10 is the maximum score.

It is important to note that the experts determined the weight of each criterion:

• Educational component (Ed)—0.25;
• Infrastructural component (Infr)—0.2;
• Accessibility and security (AvSec)—0.1;
• Communication and marketing component (CommMark)—0.1;
• Natural and cultural–historical component (NatCaH)—0.25;
• Component related to sustainable development of territories (SustDev)—0.1.

Table 6 presents the results of calculating the integral indicators of the regions, as well as the calculated values regarding weighting in the context of the highlighted groups of assessment criteria.

Table 6. Results of assessment of tourist objects of Central, Southern, Northern, Western and Eastern Kazakhstan from the position of educational tourism development.

Tourist Object	Ed	Infr	AvSec	CommMark	NatCaH	SustDev	Average	Integral Indicator
Central Kazakhstan
1	7.9	5.7	5.9	6.9	6.8	4.6	6.3	6.3
2	7.6	5.7	6.2	5.9	6.7	4.6	6.1
3	6.3	5.7	6.3	5.7	6.9	4.6	5.9
4	8.5	5.7	7.1	6.3	7.1	4.6	6.5
5	7.5	5.7	5.8	6.0	6.9	4.6	6.1
6	6.5	5.7	5.4	4.7	6.7	4.6	5.6
7	6.8	5.7	6.2	5.7	6.5	4.6	5.9
8	7.3	5.7	5.8	6.3	6.5	4.6	6.0
9	7.6	5.7	5.4	6.1	6.5	4.6	6.0
10	6.4	5.7	6.5	6.0	6.8	4.6	6.0
Average values by parameter groups	7.2	5.7	6.1	6.0	6.7	4.6	-
South Kazakhstan
1	9.0	7.6	7.3	7.7	8.3	6.0	7.6	7.53
2	8.8	7.6	6.8	7.0	7.9	6.0	7.3
3	8.0	7.6	6.1	7.3	7.8	6.0	7.1
4	8.1	7.6	5.8	7.6	7.8	6.0	7.2
5	8.1	7.6	6.1	6.7	8.0	6.0	7.1
6	8.0	7.6	7.3	7.7	8.0	6.0	7.4
7	7.1	7.6	6.8	6.7	8.0	6.0	7.0
8	8.1	7.6	6.4	7.1	7.9	6.0	7.2
9	8.3	7.6	6.3	7.1	8.0	6.0	7.2
10	8.8	7.6	5.8	7.3	7.8	6.0	7.2
Average values by parameter groups	8.2	7.6	6.5	7.2	8.0	6.0	-
North Kazakhstan
1	6.5	6.6	5.9	6.0	6.7	4.9	6.1	6.65
2	7.0	6.6	7.5	5.7	6.9	4.9	6.4
3	7.0	6.6	5.9	5.7	6.8	4.9	6.1
4	6.8	6.6	6.1	5.1	6.7	4.9	6.0
5	7.5	6.6	6.8	6.3	6.9	4.9	6.5
6	7.4	6.6	7.2	6.9	7.0	4.9	6.6
7	7.6	6.6	6.1	6.7	6.7	4.9	6.4
8	8.5	6.6	7.3	7.0	7.0	4.9	6.9
9	8.6	6.6	6.9	6.7	6.8	4.9	6.8
10	7.0	6.6	6.9	6.3	6.7	4.9	6.4
Average values by parameter groups	7.4	6.6	6.7	6.2	6.8	4.9	-
West Kazakhstan
1	6.6	5.6	5.3	5.3	6.2	4.6	5.6	6.04
2	6.9	5.6	5.9	5.7	6.4	4.6	5.8
3	7.1	5.6	5.9	5.7	6.4	4.6	5.9
4	6.5	5.6	5.8	5.3	6.4	4.6	5.7
5	6.1	5.6	5.9	5.3	6.4	4.6	5.6
6	7.1	5.6	5.6	5.9	6.3	4.6	5.8
7	6.9	5.6	5.5	5.4	6.3	4.6	5.7
8	7.3	5.6	6.7	6.3	6.5	4.6	6.1
9	7.4	5.6	6.6	6.3	6.3	4.6	6.1
10	7.0	5.6	5.6	6.0	6.3	4.6	5.8
Average values by parameter groups	6.9	5.6	5.9	5.7	6.3	4.6	-
East Kazakhstan
1	6.1	5.4	6.2	5.9	6.4	4.5	5.7	5.94
2	6.8	5.4	6.3	5.9	6.4	4.5	5.9
3	6.1	5.4	6.4	5.7	6.5	4.5	5.8
4	7.1	5.4	6.8	6.3	6.5	4.5	6.1
5	6.0	5.4	5.2	4.9	6.3	4.5	5.4
6	6.5	5.4	5.9	6.4	6.5	4.5	5.9
7	6.4	5.4	5.8	6.9	6.3	4.5	5.9
8	6.9	5.4	5.6	6.3	6.5	4.5	5.9
9	6.3	5.4	5.7	6.1	6.3	4.5	5.7
10	6.3	5.4	5.6	5.6	6.3	4.5	5.6
Average values by parameter groups	6.4	5.4	6.0	6.0	6.4	4.5	-

According to the results obtained, the final integral scores were distributed as follows: South Kazakhstan—7.53; North Kazakhstan—6.65; Central Kazakhstan—6.3; West Kazakhstan—6.04; East Kazakhstan—5.94. It is important to highlight the TOP-3 objects in the context of all regions that scored the highest (Table 7).

Table 7. Tourist objects of Central, Southern, Northern, Western and Eastern Kazakhstan, which scored the highest number of expert points in terms of their attractiveness for the development of educational tourism.

№	Tourist Attraction	Rank	Number of Points Received
Central Kazakhstan
1	Karlag Museum	1	6.5
2	Karkaraly State National Nature Park	2	6.3
3	Spassk memorial complex	3	6.1
South Kazakhstan
1	Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi in the city of Turkestan (formerly Yassy)	1	7.6
2	Medeu high-mountain skating rink	2	7.4
3	The ancient city of Otrar (formerly Farab, named in honor of the great thinker, philosopher and mathematician Abu-Nasr Al-Farabi)	3	7.3
North Kazakhstan
1	“Abylai Khan Residence” Museum Complex	1	6.9
2	State National Natural Park “Burabai”	2	6.8
3	Astrophysical Research Centre, Astrophysical Observatory	3	6.6
West Kazakhstan
1	House-museum of Y.I. Pugachev	1	6.1
2	Historical complex “Bokey Ordasy”	1	6.1
3	Beket-Ata Underground Mosque	2	5.9
4	Shopan-Ata underground mosque	3	5.8
5	Bozzhyra tract	3	5.8
East Kazakhstan
1	State Historical-Cultural and Literary-Memorial Reserve-Museum of Abai “Zhidebai-Borili”	1	6.1
2	Katon-Karagai State National Nature Park	2	5.9
3	Mount Belukha	2	5.9
4	Lake Alakol	2	5.9
5	Berel barrows	2	5.9
6	East Kazakhstan regional architectural-ethnographic and natural landscape museum-reserve	3	5.8

Note—compiled by the authors based on the results of an expert survey.

It is essential to note that the difference of 1–2 points may indicate slight differences in the attractiveness of the objects; this may be due, for example, to minor characteristics that do not critically affect the overall perception of the tourist object/tourist destination; in turn, the difference of 3–4 points may indicate more noticeable differences, including, for example, different levels of development of transport infrastructure, the presence of additional related services, etc., which make one object more attractive to tourists; finally, differences between objects of 5 or more points may mean that one object significantly surpasses the other in the primary evaluation criteria, and this object should perhaps be recommended first.

Understanding the difference in the points obtained because of the assessment can help tourists make more informed decisions when choosing objects to visit; at the same time, for key participants in the tourism market, this can signal the need to improve the quality of services or infrastructure.

In general, each point represents a certain set of characteristics; the value may vary depending on the context: for example, for some tourists, the provision of sanitary conditions at the facility is more important, while for others, the presence of entertainment infrastructure and facilities is more important. This makes each point significant depending on the target audience’s preferences.

It is obvious that each of the presented objects can form a sustainable tourist interest and have a significant impact on the development of educational tourism in the region.

Based on the obtained average expert evaluations, it is also important to trace the minimum, maximum and average evaluations in the context of the studied groups of evaluation factors (Figure 3a–f).

Figure 3. Variability of expert evaluations in the context of the studied groups of evaluation factors. Note—compiled by the authors based on the results of the research. (a) Educational component (Ed); (b) Infrastructure component (Infr); (c) Availability and security (AvSec); (d) Communication and marketing component (CommMark); (e) Natural and cultural-historical component (NatCaH); (f) Component related to issues of sustainable development of territories (SustDev).

The figures show that the following groups of evaluation criteria received maximum scores: natural and cultural–historical component (8.4 points), educational component (7.6 points), and accessibility and safety (7.4 points). The other groups of analyzed criteria range from 6.8 to 7.2 points. In general, this once again confirms the importance of natural-climatic, cultural–historical and educational resources for the development of educational tourism in Kazakhstan. Marketing and communication aspects took the last place due to the fact that experts do not consider these factors as paramount, noting that they will only start working after a quality competitive educational product is created, requiring further communication with potential customers and promotion both in the domestic and foreign markets.

4.3. RQ3: How the Scores Obtained, as Presented in the Matrix, Can Be Used in the Construction of Route Threads and the Creation of SMART Audio Guides?

Assessments of the objects obtained in the framework of matrix analysis of criteria and sub-criteria influence the formation of threads of excursion educational routes and the inclusion of certain objects of show and tell in their composition.

Further, the authors developed the SMART audio guide “Tourist objects of Karaganda city” as a conceptual complementary component of the system of implementation of educational tourism in the learning environment of higher school students. It is important to note that this development is a practical example of combining various tourist sites into a single route. Such smart audio guides can be created and scaled up depending on educational goals, areas of training, nature and type of tourist destinations, etc.

The SMART component of the proposed route consists of creating not just a thread of the route with a set of objects, but also developing a description of each of them (Table 8), creating audio tracks in three languages (Kazakh, Russian and English) and subsequent uploading to the izi.Travel platform.

Table 8. Brief description of the objects included in the route “Tourist Objects of Karaganda city”.

Object’s Type	Brief Description of the Object
Cosmonautics Monument	It was opened in 2011 in honor of the 20th anniversary of Independence and the 50th anniversary of the first human space flight. It consists of 2 components: a figure of an astronaut and a spire, 36 m high.
Abylkas Saginov Karaganda Technical University	One of the largest technical universities of the country and the region; it was founded in 1953 as Karaganda Mining Institute. In 2023 the university celebrated its 70th anniversary. Today, the university provides training for bachelors, masters, PhD doctors.
Karaganda Medical University	The University was founded in 1950. The history of the formation of the national school of medicine originates here. Today the University provides multi-level training: bachelor’s, master’s, residency, doctoral and additional education.
Eternal Flame Memorial Ensemble of Military Glory	The memorial was opened in 1975 in memory of the Victory of the Soviet people in World War II.
Monument “Where-Where? In Karaganda!”	This winged phrase became a kind of symbol of the city of miners. The monument is a pole with signs “Moscow”, “Astana” and “Karaganda”, and there are 2 figures of men. One asks the question, “Where am I?” and the other answers: “In Karaganda!”.
Monument to Nurken Abdirov	On the street of the same name, opposite the sports palace, which bears his name, there is a monument to the Hero of the Soviet Union—Nurken Abdirov. The monument to the hero was opened on 30 October 1958.
Karaganda Buketov University	Karaganda Buketov University was founded in 1938 as a Teachers’ Institute; in 1952 it was transformed into a Pedagogical Institute, and in 1972 Karaganda State University was opened. In 1992 the University was named after the famous scientist Evney Arsytanovich Buketov. By the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 5 April 2024, the status of a research university was granted. It is among the top five leaders of national education according to the national accreditation agencies. Today, the university trains bachelors, masters, PhDs in more than 130 educational programs in the following areas.
Karaganda University of Kazpotrebsoyuz	In 1966 the Karaganda Cooperative Institute of the USSR Centrosoyuz was founded, in 1991 the Institute was transformed into the Kazakh Institute of Consumer Cooperation, in 1997—Karaganda Economic University of Kazpotrebsoyuz, and in 2021—into Karaganda University of Kazpotrebsoyuz. It is one of the best universities of economic profile in the country.
Central Park of Culture and Recreation of Karaganda	One of the largest parks in Kazakhstan. It is a favorite place of recreation for the population of Karaganda city. In the center of the park zone, there is a lake, around which a green massif is laid. There is also a boat station, amusement rides, cafes, restaurants, a stage for holding events, and other park infrastructure facilities.
Monument “Miners’ Glory”	The monument was opened on 6 November 1974. The figures of the monument—miners—are made of bronze.

Note—developed by the authors.

Proposed route: Cosmonautics Monument—Abylkas Saginov Karaganda Technical University—Karaganda Medical University—Eternal Flame Memorial Ensemble of Military Glory—Monument “Where-Where? In Karaganda!”—Monument to Nurken Abdirov—Karaganda Buketov University—Karaganda University of Kazpotrebsoyuz—Central Park of Culture and Recreation of Karaganda—Monument “Miners’ Glory”.

Total length—29 km; route type—vehicular; average duration—1 h 5 min (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Thread of the route “Tourist objects of Karaganda city”, plotted using 2GIS * maps. Note—developed by the authors. * Numbered dots indicate route objects.

This developed route and its audio-visual content were successfully posted in three languages on the izi.Travel platform: https://izi.travel/en/browse/7f369ba5-3117-4db2-a6cb-4f82c38765ae/kk (in Kazakh, accessed on 14 September 2024), https://izi.travel/en/browse/7f369ba5-3117-4db2-a6cb-4f82c38765ae (in English, accessed on 14 September 2024), https://izi.travel/ru/browse/7f369ba5-3117-4db2-a6cb-4f82c38765ae (in Russian, accessed on 14 September 2024).

5. Discussion

In the scientific literature, there is still no unified approach to the concept and essence of educational tourism, as well as different criteria by which it could be classified; however, the diversity of approaches allows us to study this economic category in a sufficiently capacious way and to identify promising directions of its development. It is important to note the interdisciplinarity inherent in educational tourism, which makes it possible to identify its advantages for the implementation of student-centered learning, to develop the outlook and cognitive abilities of higher education students, and to use the existing tourist and recreational potential of the regions to form competitive tourist products and develop routes of a new formation, including a variety of educational components.

The following can be highlighted as limitations: (1) the cluster analysis did not take into account some factors (due to their absence in the official statistics), especially in terms of research into the development of the tourism industry; (2) a limited number of studied tourist and recreational objects, (10 in the context of each of the regions of Kazakhstan), however, given the universality and adaptability of the proposed author’s methodology, this problem can be solved by expanding and adding the necessary objects.

Further research of the authors will be aimed at studying the possibilities of implementation of educational tourism in the system of education of students of higher education in Kazakhstan, including through the development of effective programs of the Summer School (with elements and components of educational tourism), aimed at both domestic and foreign students.

6. Conclusions

The conducted research allows us to draw the following conclusions:

• On the basis of cluster analysis, three clusters were obtained (the first (blue) uniting 18 regions: Abay, Akmola, Aktobe, Almaty, Atyrau, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Zhetisu, Karaganda, Kostanay, Kyzylorda, Mangistau, Pavlodar, North Kazakhstan, Turkestan, Ulytau, East Kazakhstan regions and the city of Shymkent; the second (red), represented by the city of Astana, the third (green)—the city of Almaty), which can be useful for the development of republican and regional programs. The second (red) is represented by the city of Astana and the third (green) by the city of Almaty, which can be useful in the development of national and regional programs for the development of educational tourism, as well as in the implementation of the main provisions of student-centered learning by educational institutions;
• In total, 6 groups of criteria and 53 sub-criteria of the matrix of evaluation of tourist objects of the region from the position of development of educational tourism, which were tested for the evaluation of 50 tourist objects of five regions of Kazakhstan: Northern, Southern, Western, Eastern and Central;
• On the basis of the conducted assessment, the SMART audio guide “Tourist objects of Karaganda city” was developed, which will find its wide application among educational institutions of the region, as well as among domestic and foreign tourists and excursionists; this audio guide is a kind of example of implementation of educational tourism in the system of education of higher school students, as it will be applied in the training of specialists of specialties “Tourism”, “Restaurant and hotel business”, “Marketing and SMM”, “Logistics”.

The obtained results of the study have a pronounced practical focus; in particular:

• Government agencies can use them in developing regional and national tourism development programs (including roadmaps) with the identification of groups of regions (based on the results of cluster analysis) that are the most promising for the development of the tourism industry and individual types of tourism, including educational tourism, interest in which can be generated in the process of student-centered learning;
• The formed criteria base for assessing the attractiveness of objects from the standpoint of educational tourism will allow key actors in the tourism market to form competitive educational tourism products for both the domestic and international markets, thereby popularizing domestic tourist destinations and creating a favorable tourist image of the country, since Kazakhstan has a high tourism and recreational potential; in addition, the presented assessment methodology will enable foreign researchers to conduct an effective analysis of the level of attractiveness of tourist sites in their country, supplementing it with new parameters, or removing those that are not significant in a specific assessment context;
• The developed attractiveness matrix will also allow the selection of those tourist sites that may be interesting from the perspective of educational tourism development and include them in the development of smart audio guides with subsequent posting on various platforms (for example, on izi.Travel, YouTravel.Me, GetYourGuide, etc.) for free use; the article shows an example of developing an audio guide in the industrial city of Central Kazakhstan—Karaganda, where it is trendy among schoolchildren, students, and postgraduate students, as it allows developing critical thinking skills, independent research, skills in working with modern information and communication technologies, as well as communication skills.