BASIC TRIGGERS OF THE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOURIST AND RECREATIONAL POTENTIAL OF THE CARPATHIAN REGION

Abstract

The article analyzes the basic triggers of the strategic development of the tourist and recreational potential of the Carpathian region. It has been assumed that for development of the Carpathian region the mastering of its cognitive and tourist potential is a priority. The main arguments of this assumption have been specified, among them are: the availability of the necessary natural and resource base, both actually and potentially used on cognitive and tourist purposes (there are more than 800 sources and wells of medicinal mineral waters of all known types in the region, many of them are unique); advantageous economic and geographic and geopolitical position (the Carpathian region is in the center of Europe); relatively high ecological safety of the region (in comparison with other regions, the nature of the Carpathians has suffered less losses and in most places preserved its initial state, and this is very important for the development of recreation and tourism).It has been generalized that the Carpathian region of Ukraine is characterized by significant differences among other regions of Ukraine in tourist and product scope. Tourist and recreational resources are components of the geographical environment, objects of anthropogenic activity, which, due to such properties as uniqueness, historical or artistic value, aesthetic attractiveness and health and leisure significance, can be used for organizing various types of recreational activities. It has been specified that for the development of recreational and tourist attractiveness of the Carpathian region, it is advisable to use two large groups of resources, which are: natural resources; historical and ethno-cultural resources. It has been concluded that natural resources are an environment with a network of rural settlements, available natural objects (hydrological, geomorphologic, geographic and botanic objects) having recreational properties, and natural habitats of unchanged by people natural ecosystems. Historical and ethno-cultural resources are objects and phenomena of the material and spiritual culture of vital activity of an ethnic group on the territory of its historical development. This type of resources includes historical monuments (fortresses, walls, etc.), material ethno-culture (traditional Boyko and Hutsul housing, mills, , products of folk crafts (lizhnyky, ceramics, wood carving, products made of vine, etc.), sacred architecture (monasteries, churches, chapels, old-fashioned memorable crosses, etc.), spiritual ethno-culture (domestic and religious ceremonies and folk traditions). It has been established that the natural and resource potential of the Ukrainian Carpathians is distinguished by its uniqueness and attractiveness regarding the introduction of tourist products of recreational type on the market. This is evidenced by the wealth of territory for forests, unique flora and fauna, which provides opportunities for the creation of nature preserved areas, which are potential centers for the functioning of recreational and tourist facilities. At the same time, a number of limiting factors have been established, which determine the insufficient level of the usage of natural and resource potential aiming at the development of the tourist and recreational economic sector of the mentioned region.It has been generalized that the development of recreation and its compliance with international standards will enable the attraction of tourists from other countries. Determination of the potential of recreational attractiveness of the Carpathian region as a whole, as well as its separate tourist and recreational objects, has been carried out with the purpose of forming a strategy of the activity of tourism and recreation industry enterprises. To estimate the recreational potential, the territory of the Carpathian region is divided into a grid by the matrix n*m, where n is the number of nodes in the grid, which splits the studied area, horizontally; m - respectively, the number of nodes in the grid vertically. For each node of the grid, the input parameters of the system x1 ... x25 have been determined. Data sources for the input parameters are GIS systems, statistic data and expert assessments of the tourism industry. On the basis of the obtained data, comparative maps of the recreational potential of the Carpathian region in January and August have been compiled. Maps show that the density of the potential field of recreational attractiveness of the territory varies during the year. Available natural and recreational resources determine the peak of attractiveness for a specific territory. The Carpathian region is rich in various objects that attract visitors and tourists. Depending on the structure of available resources, mountainous regions of the Carpathians, towns of Lviv, Mukachevо, Khust, Khotyn, banks of the Dniester, Prut, Cheremosh and other rivers are attractive in different seasons.