Forming an Optimal Regional Tourism Structure in Ukraine: Socio-Cultural Dimension

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction. In modern transformation processes, the importance of the territorial aspects of national economic development is growing. The tourism industry in Ukraine is not only a tool for positioning the ‘Ukraine’ brand far beyond its borders, but also one of the factors in achieving optimality in the formation of regional economic structures to overcome economic imbalances and ensure the sustainable development of regions and the economy of the state as a whole. Tourism plays a vital role in developing regional socio-cultural spaces, contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage, the revitalisation of local communities and the improvement of the population’s quality of life. Identifying the socio-cultural factors that drive regional tourism development and forming optimal regional structures that consider the socio-cultural dimension is a strategic task. Purpose and methods. The article aims to identify the socio-cultural factors influencing regional tourism development and develop theoretical and practical approaches to forming an optimal regional tourism structure. The research process involved the use of methods of analysis and synthesis, systematisation and generalisation, which made it possible to analyse the development of tourism in Ukraine and identify specific cultural characteristics of the Podillia region, as well as to reveal their impact on the development of the tourism industry in Ukraine. The structural-functional method was used in cultural modelling. Research results. Modern approaches to the formation of state regional policy in the field of tourism have been systematised. It has been established that rural tourism in the context of decentralisation is taking on new significance, contributing to the self-financing of territorial communities and strengthening social capital. A model for forming an optimal regional tourism structure has been proposed, considering the cultural codes of territories, local identities and social demands. Conclusions. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the formation and justification of an optimisation model of the regional tourism structure of Ukraine, taking into account the concept of regional socio-cultural factors that determine the region’s investment attractiveness, which will contribute to ensuring competitiveness, investment and innovation development. The study’s conclusions focus on considering the socio-cultural dimension of regions when forming regional policies in the field of tourism.