Wooden sacral architecture as an object of cultural tourism in Ukraine

Abstract

Scientific article deals with the topic of wooden sacral architecture of Ukraine, which is the object of cultural tourism. The study of tourist resources, including cultural and historical ones, has a significant theoretical background among Ukrainian and foreign scholars. This topic is related to the study of architecture, peculiarities of construction of wooden structures, their spread in the territory of Ukraine and Ukrainian ethnic territories, which are beyond the limits of modern borders. Insights in the field of cultural heritage studies is very significant as well as the assessment of their uniqueness, geography of tourism, economic and social sciences that are related to the field of tourism. Definition of the cultural tourism, the concept of «heritage product» is related to the tourism marketing, as well as mechanisms of product management and ways of promoting cultural heritage sites for tourists attraction. This scientific article is based on the researches of experts, who study sacral architecture monuments, their classification, geography of distribution and regionalization, which are the basis for evaluating various aspects of buildings appearance. It is important to develop cultural tourism in regions, where tourist activity is in low condition. In the territory of Ukraine, there are objects of wooden church architecture that are included to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These structures are located on the territory of Ukraine and Poland. Objects of wooden sacral architecture are mainly located on the Carpathian foothills, Galicia and Polissia territory. The smallest number of these structures you can find in the south, where wooden architecture is predominantly located in the remote areas and belong to the Podilska and Naddnipryanska schools of temple building. There are some differences between the geography of extension of the objects of wooden temple building and index of domestic tourism for leisure and recreation purposes. Thus, objects of wooden architecture as sites of cultural tourism are concentrated in the western and in the northern regions of Ukraine, while the biggest amount of domestic tourists prevails in Kiev city, as well as in Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv and Odesa region. The main activity on the Black Sea coast is recreation, medical and wellness tourism, or medical tourism on the resorts of the South. However, areas of the north of Odesa and Kherson regions, remain presidial. Combining tours to the north of Odesa region and rest on the banks of the Southern Bug River with active types of tourism and recreation will be promising thing. Lack of marketing activities is a significant impediment for promotion of the cultural tourism product in southern Ukraine. Also, the question of upgrading the infrastructure for tourism needs: transport system, hospitality facilities, remains unsolved. This region is perspective for the development of peripheral and rural areas and is a driver of economic growth.