Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
A team of graduate students from the RUDN University Graduate School of Management has developed a digital solution to combat overtourism, one of the main problems facing the modern travel industry. The "QuotaSphere" project has already been assessed by the RUDN.VC accelerator and is preparing for pilot implementation.
Infrastructure at the limit
"Popular tourist areas—from nature trails to museums—are facing critical overload. Seasonal peaks in visitor numbers, the lack of a unified regulatory system, and a lack of forecasting data are leading to infrastructure deterioration, a decline in the quality of recreation, and environmental damage. Current approaches are insufficient to effectively manage visitor flows when the facilities' capacity is limited. Therefore, we created QuotaSphere—a comprehensive digital platform for proactively managing visitor numbers. Its core is a mathematical model that calculates quotas based on the actual capacity of each specific facility," said Daniil Silin and Arevik Sargsyan, project leaders and second- and fourth-year undergraduate students at the Graduate School of Management.
According to the developers, the system includes:
A load planning and distribution module; monitoring and analytics tools for key sustainability indices; the ability to integrate with existing facility IT systems; user-friendly interfaces for tourists, tour operators, and site administrators.
The platform will help evenly distribute visitor flow, reducing peak loads without losing overall tourism revenue.
The solution is designed for any facility with limited capacity: specially protected natural areas (SPNAs), eco-trails, museums, parks, resorts, and urban attractions. Implementation of the system will enable the creation of a working quota model, analytical tools for attendance management, and a ready-made, out-of-the-box solution for regional rollout.
Sustainable tourism management
The students conducted in-depth interviews with representatives of government and industry regulatory bodies in the tourism sector and prepared four research papers on the topic of digitalization and quotas for tourist flows. Their project underwent development and initial testing at the RUDN.VC accelerator and received an expert review at the SBER laboratory. To date, they have developed a mathematical model for calculating quotas based on facility capacity, created the architecture of the digital platform and the basic technical specifications, and prepared a prototype of the analytical module (with sustainability metrics and load indices).
As part of the acceleration program, the team received consultations from industry experts, mentors, and government representatives. Participation in in-person conferences, strategic sessions, master classes, and tracking sessions allowed them to refine the solution architecture and quota model. The project's creators see their work as more than just a tech startup.
"QuotaSphere" is a step toward a new level of sustainable tourism management. We are creating an innovative, integrated system that helps territories maintain ecological balance and visitor comfort. Participating in the accelerator allowed us not only to develop the project but also to gain valuable experience that inspires us to move forward and implement modern digital solutions in tourism," said Daniil Silin and Arevik Sargsyan.
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