Creative Industries Development as a Strategic Basis for Diversifying the Economies of Small Towns and Municipalities (The Example of the Krapivinsky Municipal District’ Tourism and Recreation Cluster of Kuzbass)

Strategic tourism development priorities research, not only in the regions but also in individual municipalities, is a highly relevant objective of scientific and practical task. In Kuzbass, the tourism industry is receiving particular attention. The development of non-resource sectors of the postindustrial economy has become particularly relevant given the export and price crisis in the region’s coal mining and metallurgy industries due to Western sanctions and the current volatility of the global economy. Tourism development is even more crucial for municipalities with significant potential resources but a non-functional tourism industry. In Kuzbass, one such potential destination is the Krapivinsky Municipal District.The aim of the study is to determine the strategic role of creative industries in diversifying the economies of small towns and municipalities, using the example of the creative metal sculpture art park in the settlement of Zelenogorsky. The development of creative industries and the formation of new centers of urban culture are reflected in the Strategy for the Socioeconomic Development of the Kemerovo Region-Kuzbass for the period up to 2035, approved as a regional law. A set of research methods, developed within the framework of Russian scientific school of strategizing by Academician Vladimir Kvint made it possible to determine the sequence of formation of a tourism and recreational cluster and identify the main directions of strategic tourism industry development in the municipal district and the North Kuzbass agglomeration.Preserving and modernizing the art park will enable the development of cluster initiatives related to event-based, eco-tourism, water tourism, and creative industries. Effective use of the historical and cultural core will enable the creation of a unique identity and brand for the tourist destination. Implementing strategic development areas for creative industries will contribute to the formation of a diversified economy in the Krapivinsky Municipal District, drawing on its rich historical and natural resources.