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ISSN:2325-6192 (print)
ISSN:2325-6206 (online)
Journal of Environmental Accounting and Management
António Mendes Lopes (editor), Jiazhong Zhang(editor)
António Mendes Lopes (editor)

University of Porto, Portugal

Email: aml@fe.up.pt

Jiazhong Zhang (editor)

School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710049, China

Fax: +86 29 82668723 Email: jzzhang@mail.xjtu.edu.cn

Urban Green Tourism: Application of Ecotourism Principles and Marketing Research for Sustainable Urban Development

Journal of Environmental Accounting and Management 14(4) (2026) 743--758 | DOI:10.5890/JEAM.2026.12.014

Gulbaram Kulakhmetova$^{1}$, Anna Ableeva$^{1}$, Bauyrzhan Pazylkhaiyr$^{1}$, Marat Khozhayev$^{2}$, Abdinur Sultangaliyev$^{3}$

$^{1}$ Department of Recreational Geography and Tourism, Al Farabi Kazakh National University, 050040, 71 Al Farabi Ave., Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan

$^{2}$ Department of Geography, Land Management and Cadastre, Al Farabi Kazakh National University, 050040, 71 Al Farabi Ave., Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan

$^{3}$ Kazakh Academy of Sports and Tourism, 050022, 85 Abay Ave., Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan

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Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify new opportunities for applying ecological and marketing strategies to develop urban green tourism, reduce environmental impact, and increase the economic benefits for local communities using the examples of Almaty (Republic of Kazakhstan) and Seoul (South Korea). The study employs a comparative analysis method to evaluate and compare the principles of ecotourism and marketing strategies applied in the cities of Almaty and Seoul to identify their contributions to sustainable urban development. The methodological approach includes the analysis of statistical data from official websites such as the Department of Tourism of Almaty, the Korean Statistical Information Service, Trading Economics, and information sources such as Peek Pro, Regiondo, Switch-Asia, Ecotourism World, Visit Seoul Net, and the international marketing agency Play Media. The main results of the study include the exploration of the impact of green tourism and the definition of the terms ``green tourism'' and ``sustainable tourism''; identification of prospects for solving problems through the development of green tourism in cities; formulation of strategies for attracting and implementing digital technologies in green tourism. Using statistical data, an analysis is conducted on the number of tourists who visited the cities of Almaty and Seoul from 2019 to 2023 and the revenue generated from these tourists during the specified period to assess the potential for green tourism development. Through comparative analysis, similarities and differences in approaches to developing green tourism in Almaty and Seoul are identified. Recommendations aimed at supporting and developing green tourism in Almaty and Seoul are developed. The findings confirm the necessity of sustainable tourism development in urban environments. The effective use of ecotourism principles and marketing research can become an important tool for creating urban green tourism, which benefits tourists, local communities, and the environment.

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