EUROPEAN APPROACHES TO ASSESSING THE TOURISM POTENTIAL OF REGIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The article analyses European approaches to assessing the tourism potential of regions, taking into account the principles of sustainable development. It substantiates the feasibility of applying multidimensional, integrated, spatial and indicator approaches, which form the basis of modern European methodologies (ESPON, ETIS, Eurostat, OECD). The methodological principles of a comprehensive assessment of tourism potential are examined in detail, considering natural-geographical, historical-cultural, infrastructural, socio-economic, managerial and environmental factors. The importance of spatial analytics using GIS for identifying tourism clusters, assessing transport accessibility and modelling tourism flows is emphasized. The role of stakeholders (local government, business, community) in the assessment process is highlighted. Using the example of the Zaporizhzhia region, changes in tourist flows and tourist infrastructure during 2015–2021, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of full-scale war are examined. A model for sustainable tourism development in the Zaporizhzhia region is proposed, which includes economic, social, environmental and security sustainability. A strategic ‘Roadmap for the recovery of tourism in the Zaporizhzhia region for 2026–2030’ is presented as a tool for comprehensive management of the post-war development of the regional tourism system. The necessity of implementing a phased approach to the restoration of tourism infrastructure in the context of security challenges, destruction of recreational facilities and socio-economic destabilisation caused by military actions is substantiated. The proposed roadmap is structured according to the principles of integrated spatial planning, cluster development, public-private partnership, and digital transformation. The roadmap is a strategic framework for consolidating the efforts of authorities, communities, businesses, scientific institutions and international partners in the field of sustainable tourism development, which can act as a catalyst for regional revival. The results of the study are of practical importance for strategic planning of tourism development in Ukrainian regions in conditions of transformation.