Transformation of the Museum Sphere in the Convention of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The article draws attention to the development of cultural and cognitive tourism in Ukraine in the context of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The degree of information technologies introduction as an effective form of museum work in the conditions of lockdown is analyzed. The level of activity of “museumvisitor” communications in social networks as the main platform for dialogue and work was assessed. Attention is paid to the role of panoramic photos, virtual tours, online tours as an effective marketing tool for self-promotion and a mechanism for saving the internal visitors in order for them to return in the future.Based on the collected material on traffic congestion, in the number of visits, posts, reposts, and preferences, a cluster analysis of information activity of cultural and cognitive tourism facilities was conducted and four centers were identified: Central-Eastern; Western; Southern; Northern. It was stated that the dynamics of information technology dissemination was more active in the Central-Eastern and Northern regions. The presence of a big number of large museums facilitated the involvement of volunteers or investors to digitize exhibitions or create virtual tours, in contrast to small regional ones which were distributed in the western regions of Ukraine. The seasonality of bursts of interest in information resources during the New Year holidays or summer vacations has been revealed.Statistical analysis of visitors to the information resources of museums by age, sex, geography of residence helped to draw attention to the characteristics of visitors. The data showed that the majority of visitors (80 %) belonged to local users, which suggests the need to promote them, especially in other regions of Ukraine, in order to intensify domestic tourism. This practice will not only increase the tourist flow of Ukraine, but also the cultural and tourist integration of citizens. At the same time, women showed greater interest in information resources, which indicates the need to take into account these features in building the marketing strategy of museums in the information space.