СЕРТИФІКАЦІЯ СТАЛОГО ТУРИЗМУ: ПЕРЕВАГИ ТА НЕДОЛІКИ

Abstract

Today, tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy and a key driver of social and economic progress throughout the world. Tourism is an important factor for gettingnew jobs, economic growth of the country, environmental protection and preservation, and overcoming poverty. This is possible only under the condition of responsible management and planning of tourist recreation areas. Otherwise, traditional tourism can cause significant negative impacts on the environment. Certification of tourist products and services is an important element of state regulation of the activities of tourism entities. Sustainable tourism certificates are intended for voluntary assessment and monitoring of environmental and social impacts of tourism organizations or destinations that promote tourism. Certification is carried out by certification bodies according to many criteria related to business practices, social policy, environmental impact, supply chain and procurement, etc. For tourists, the certificates for tourism business owners indicates compliance with the basic generally accepted requirements for sustainable tourism, as well as the fact that the company is committed to a sustainable approach to the environment and the local community. The article draws attention to the main aspects of certification of sustainable tourism in Ukraine. Attention is focused on such types of tourism that minimize negative effects on the environment. A number of main advantages are given, thanks to which tourists choose sustainable types of tourism. Such types of tourism should include ecological (green), rural, sports, mountain, cultural and educational, medical and health tourism, etc. The areas of tourism certification and their compliance with national standards were analyzed. It is emphasized that sustainable tourism should become a model for greening the entire tourism industry. It is substantiated that one of the important tools of the state regulation of tourism activity is the environmental certification of tourism. The recommendations for the development of sustainable tourism in Ukraine have been formulated.