Rural Green Tourism as a Factor in the Development of Rural Areas

Abstract. Introduction. Today, the tourism industry in Ukraine is only the fifth most important component of budget filling, but its share should increase significantly given such objective prerequisites as favorable geopolitical location of Ukraine in central Europe, the presence of significant tourist and recreational potential, favorable climate, rich flora and fauna, numerous world-class cultural and historical monuments. The general state and potential of rural green tourism in Ukraine are investigated in the work, the problems and prospects of its development are determined. Rural green tourism for Ukraine is a new concept, although it is developing quite actively. Research has shown that rural green tourism in combination with other industries will be able to solve a number of economic, social and environmental problems inherent in rural areas of Ukraine. It is determined that rural green tourism is one of the promising areas of national internal tourism in Ukraine. Purpose. The purpose of the article is to study the current state of rural green tourism in Mykolaiv region and to develop theoretical provisions and practical recommendations for its further development. Results. The essence and varieties of rural green tourism, processes of formation and factors of its development are investigated in the work. The views of scientists on the interpretation of the concept of “rural green tourism” are systematized. It is established that a common feature of rural tourism is the concept of the created atmosphere, which mainly determines the quality of the tourist product from the standpoint of the consumer. The study carried out a comprehensive assessment of the socio-economic conditions of the industry, characterized the natural resource potential of Mykolaiv region, which is quite attractive for tourists. The main recreational zones of Mykolaiv region, which will promote the formation and development of the location of rural green tourism, are analyzed. It is substantiated that for the formation of the tourist product of the region it is necessary to involve not only a powerful nature reserve fund, historical and architectural heritage, but also the agricultural sector, which produces organic products. The study identified factors that delay the development of rural green tourism. They include the lack of government policy and information support, proper rural infrastructure, limited choice of leisure, high share of agricultural production and manual labor in farms, absence of coordination center between rural communities, authorities and consumers about tourism development. It is determined that the successful development of rural green tourism requires a strategy that takes into account the specialization of each area and emphasizes the uniqueness of the tourist product. Conclusions. Prospects for the development of green tourism in rural areas are described. The internal potential and possibilities of its involvement for the development of green tourism are determined. It is established that green tourism can be an additional factor in filling the revenue side of the budget of rural settlements. The creation of a new tourist location is proposed and its economic efficiency is substantiated. The implementation of the proposed recommendations will promote mutually beneficial cooperation between the rural green tourism market of the region and local governments, environmental protection, as well as sustainable rural development.