Geological and geomorphological objects of the Ukrainian Carpathians’ Beskid Mountains and their tourist attractiveness

Abstract

The article explores the geological and geomorphological objects of the Beskidy Ukrainian Carpathians for the further creation of geo-tourist routes. Geo-tourist areas combining several geological and geomorphological objects and establishments of tourist in- frastructure are highlighted. Among those objects are Urytskyi, Yamelnytskyi, Skolivskyi, Syniovydnenskyi, Kliuch-Kamianka, Bubnyskyi. Geo-attractions of each area are described in detail: the morphological features of the objects, the structure of rocks composing them, the nature of the rocky surface, as well as the historical and cultural events associated with the objects. The estimation of the tourist attractiveness of geological and geomorphological objects within Beskid region of Ukrainian Carpathians is performed. For this purpose, an assessment methodology has been developed. The methodology is based on the following indicators: the number of geological and geomorphological objects, maximum heights, picturesque, spectacular (objects as an overview of the terrain), accessibility, scientific, cognitive, historical and cultural value, tourist infrastructure, popularity (the number of web pages that highlight search results). The attractive geo-objects’ attendance of each district by tourists has been taken into account. It is established that the geological and geomorphological objects of the Urytskyi tourist area of Beskyds are of a greatest at- tractiveness for the geo-tourism’ development (the general indicator of attractiveness is 8.4 points). It has a high historical and cultural value and the highest attendance. The second one is the Bubnyskyi geo-tourist area (7.2 points), where the largest amount of the highest and most spectacular rocks is located. In the third area of a great attractiveness for the development of geo-tourism is Kliuch-Kamianka (6.9 points), within which there is the larger number of various objects than in other regions and the highest online popularity and attendance. The attractiveness of the Skolivskyi geo-tourist district is estimated at 6.6 points. It has seven geo-attractions and is best equipped by the facilities of tourist infrastructure. The attractiveness of the Syniovydnenskyi geo-tourist area’s objects is 5.6 points. There are eight geo-attractions here, including outcrops of high scientific and cognitive value. The attractiveness of the Yamelnytskyi region is 4.0 points. There are many different morphological types of rocks here, but the tourist infrastructure is poorly developed. On the basis of the performed estimation of attractiveness, new geo-tourist hiking, bus and motor-cycle routes, including the described geological and geomorphological attractions of the above-mentioned geo-cultural regions of the Beskids, were proposed.