GEOTURISTIC POTENTIAL OF GEOLOGICAL MONUMENTS OF THE DNIPROPETROVS`K REGION

Abstract

Geotourism as a modern trend in the tourism industry is gaining more and more popularity worldwide. It is the development of knowledge about the geological history of our planet, the course of processes of the formation of various rocks and minerals.
 The territory of Dnipropetrovs’k region is rich in unique, rare objects of the geological environment, including and world importance. These objects have been preserved on the earth's surface in the form of rock outcrops, which most clearly characterize the geological structure and history of the development of our planet, and are of great scientific and educational importance.
 The most unique objects of the natural heritage of Dnipropetrovs’k region, worthy of international attention, are geological monuments. Today, about 38 geological monuments of nature can be classified as geological monuments within the Dnipropetrovs’k region, among which 13 are included in the nature reserve fund of Ukraine and approved by the relevant decisions of state institutions.
 In order to determine the geotourism potential of the regions of the region, a comprehensive, point-based, monitoring assessment of geological monuments was carried out according to the following indicators: informational uniqueness, physical condition, state of improvement, transport accessibility, demand, seasonality of visits, ecological condition, recreational attractiveness, safety of inspection, density of accommodation, nature conservation status. The total number of points demonstrates the tourist attractiveness of the object.
 According to the specified criteria, the number of points for evaluating the tourist attractiveness of geological monuments varies from 15 to 28 points. Geological monuments assigned to the nature reserve fund received the highest points.
 The assessment of the spatial differentiation of indicators of tourist attractiveness of the geological monuments of the region was performed using the inverse distance weighting (IDW) interpolation method in the QGIS program. As a result, a map of the geotourism potential of the regions of the Dnipropetrovs’k region was built. Four types of zones are distinguished: with high (western part of the region, most of Kryvyi Rih region), medium (southern part of the region), low geotourism potential (the central part and a separate zone in the south of the region), and the territory where there are no geological monuments (north and east region).
 The analysis of the map makes it possible to come to the conclusion that, at present, geological monuments located in the Kryvyi Rih district are of interest for the formation of geotours. Other geological objects of Dnipropetrovs’k region should be considered as a supplement to tours of another direction, for example, based on a combination of natural, archaeological and cultural objects. This is facilitated by the fact that the majority of geological monuments are territorially connected with historical and cultural monuments, recreational locations, religious routes.
 In order to popularize geotourism sites in the region, an interactive map "Geological sights of the Dnipropetrovs’k region, classified as a nature reserve" was created on the Google Maps platform.
 An excursion route "Geological monuments of Kryvorizhye" has also been created. The excursion consists of 9 objects that reveal the entire range of the geological history of Kryvorizhye and covers the age range from the Paleoarchean to the Neoproterozoic, which is about 2 billion years, imprinted in numerous outcrops along the banks of the Ingulets and Saksagan rivers and the slopes of the streams. The tour is designed as a GPS mobile multimedia guide on the Izi.travel platform.
 Keywords: geological reminder, geotourism potential, geological tourism, Dnipropetrovsk region.