Development of a methodological approach to assessing tourism potential, considering the recreational needs of the population

The current situation in the world market of tourist services is characterized by several restrictions concerning both the impossibility of traveling to some countries and tourist formalities aimed at observing the safety measures of tourists. In addition, the structure of tourists’ needs has changed significantly, in connection with which the directions of “green” nature-oriented tourism have become actualized, contributing to the implementation of the concept of sustainable tourism development. In this regard, it is required to assess and re-evaluate the tourist potential of local territories and its development, considering the recreational needs of the local population. The article presents a methodological approach to assessing the tourist potential of local territories, considering the recreational needs of the population. The approach is based on the synthesis of methods for assessing the tourist-recreational potential of local territories and the real needs of tourist-recreational services among the population of the region. The methods of recreational-geographical, marketing, cluster approaches, as well as economic and mathematical modeling and cross-classification were used for methodology forming. The proposed methodological approach is in demand by regional and local authorities, tour operators and investors to objectively assess the tourist potential of local territories, considering the recreational needs of the population and the priorities of tourism development.