Management priorities for sustainable tourism development in the mountain regions of Ukraine: a socio-environmental dimension

Abstract

The article presents a comprehensive study of the theoretical, methodological and applied principles of sustainable tourism development management in the mountainous regions of Ukraine, which are characterized by high vulnerability of natural ecosystems and the uniqueness of the socio-cultural landscape. The search is aimed at resolving the fundamental contradiction between the need for economic growth of destinations and the need to preserve their ecological integrity. The emphasis is on managing the balance of economic benefits with high social responsibility of business.

The relevance of the study is enhanced in the context of modern military challenges and strategic tasks of the post-war reconstruction of the state, where mountainous areas are transformed into key hubs for domestic tourism, recreation and medical and psychological rehabilitation. In this context, the transition from extensive models of resource exploitation to strategies for intensive recreation of recreational space is justified. Key management priorities are identified and detailed, covering the preservation of landscape biodiversity, institutional support for the authenticity of local communities, protection of ethnocultural heritage, and large-scale implementation of innovative energy-efficient and resource-saving technologies.

A special place in the work is devoted to digitalization, which allows monitoring resource costs and regulating tourist load in real time. Using an extended SWOT analysis, a detailed diagnosis of the internal potential of mountain regions was carried out and critical external threats, such as anthropogenic degradation and climate risks, were identified. Based on the results obtained, an adaptive scheme of interaction of factors of sustainable tourism development was proposed, which determines the vectors of infrastructure modernization, environmental certification of communities, and the formation of an inclusive tourism product with high added value. The formulated conclusions create a scientific basis for the development of municipal sustainable development programs aimed at increasing the viability of mountain areas and their integration into the European recreational space.