Abstract
Modern recreational planning often faces fragmentation of the systemic perception of space due to the exclusion of socio-geographic and cultural factors from analysis. There is a methodological need for a clear differentiation between regionalization and zoning processes to increase the efficiency of destination management. This work is driven by the transformation of classical territorial planning approaches toward technological models based on GIS and environmental sustainability. In the context of tourism development in Kazakhstan, it is crucial to find tools that balance intensive resource use with the preservation of vulnerable ecosystems. The article provides a comparative analysis of foreign (planning), Russian (system-structural), and Kazakhstani (resource-landscape) approaches. As the primary research tool, a cluster approach to functional zoning (based on E.G. Kropinova's methodology) was used, allowing for the dynamic analysis of territory through the intensity of market stakeholder interactions. It was established that the cluster approach is the most objective indicator of destination development. Using the Shchuchinsk-Borovoye Resort Area (SBRA) as an example, the feasibility of conducting research within administrative district boundaries is justified. This allows for aligning functional zones with national statistics and land registry data, as well as identifying effective buffer zones for landscape protection. The proposed methodology can be applied by government agencies and planning organizations in developing master plans for tourist areas, regional socio-economic development programs, and territorial planning schemes for specially protected natural areas.