Prospects for innovative development of the Ukrainian tourist industry in the corona crisis

Abstract

The general idea of prospects for innovative development of the Ukrainian tourist industry in the crisis caused by the pandemic coronavirus infection is given. The influence of a new global threat - the COVID-19 epidemic - on the tourism industry in Ukraine and the world is determined. Emphasis is placed on the need to stimulate innovation processes in the travel industry, which in the future will contribute to the expansion of promising opportunities for Ukraine to bring this economy sector to a qualitatively new level. The Ukrainian public innovation policy in tourism and prospects of its development are analyzed. The issue of general innovations classification in tourism is investigated and their three main groups are defined: product-related, technological, and managerial. Examples of successful innovative solutions for the revival of tourism in the conditions of coronavirus restrictions are given. Phototourism is presented as an example of product innovations, which focuses on the implementation of the environmentally responsible tourism concept for the low level of impact on the environment. Other examples of product innovations that attract the attention of travel services consumers in the context of coronavirus restrictions are the practices of staycation (short trips for short distances, which allow for a brief change of scenery and relaxation) and workation (combining work with vacation). Examples of technological innovations that have resulted from the development of scientific and technological progress are electronic tourism (ETravel), virtual tourism, tourist information systems, and others. The program "Tourist Cashback" and the introduction of passports of immunity and security certificates are described as an example of managerial innovations aimed at supporting domestic and regional tourism. The paper proves that the digitalization of all types of tourist services around the world in general and in Ukraine, in particular, meets the current conditions for the existence of the tourist market and opens wide prospects for the future.