FORMATION OF ECOTURIST INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL NATURAL PARK «ENCHANTED LAND» TRANSCARPATHIAN REGION

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of ecotourism infrastructure development in the protected areas of the Transcarpathian region. The peculiarities of ecotourism development are considered, special attention is paid to the insufficient involvement of nature protection territories and their potential for the development of domestic and international tourism,the problem of weak introduction of different sustainable tourism forms is singled out. A number of works by our scientists, as well as legislative, normative-legal, strategic and program documents about tourist movement regulation within the protected areas are analyzed. The essence and value of the research territory on the possibilities of ecotourism development and preconditions for the functioning of ecotourism infrastructure are revealed. The structural elements of ecotourism infrastructure are singled out, namely: ecological-cognitive trails, tourist routes, visit-centers, information tourist points, specially equipped zones, historical and cultural objects, accommodation and food services for tourists, etc. As an example, a detailed analysis of the ecotourism infrastructure of the National Park “Enchanted Land”, located within the Carpathian region of the Transcarpathian region, is given. The main problems and limiting factors of tourist use and preservation of protected areas are described. A detailed description of the "Enchanted Land" functioningis given, the information about natural and historical-cultural attractions, ecological-educational trails and tourist routes are studied and analyzed. The five most popular ecotourism routes and the location of interesting tourist attractions have been identified within the study area. A point assessment of the key factors that characterize the environmental infrastructure of NP "Enchanted Land" was made and therefore concluded that the park in the whole has a poorly developed educational infrastructure as well as tourism and recreation attractiveness as well. We have suggested a number of recommendations for the promotion and regulation of tourist traffic, improvement of ecotourism infrastructure, optimal territorial management and approximation of protected areas to the requirements of sustainable tourism development in the protected areas of the Transcarpathian region.