��������UNLOCKING THE TOURISM AND RECREATIONAL POTENTIAL OF
PROTECTED AREAS OF THE UKRAINIAN CARPATHIANS
IN THE CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
National parks have to become catalysts for �the development of regions and local communities
The Ukrainian Carpathians are one of the last places on the planet where nature has been preserved in its original beauty, and cultural values still live in tangible and intangible heritage.
The Carpathian National Nature Park is one of the oldest and largest nature protected areas in the Ukrainian Carpathians.
Efficient nature conservation marketing and management are necessary components �to successfully unlock the recreational potential
It is necessary to coordinate cooperation of nature protected areas (in particular, parks and reserves) and stakeholders in order to implement the following tasks:
● assessing the potential of existing resources, state and quality of the existing tourism product;
● studying and analyzing the needs of current and potential target groups;
● developing brands;
● developing green tourism infrastructure and attractions that would
ensure all-season visits to the territory;
● providing high-quality services;
● arranging educational and entertainment activities;
● hiring highly qualified personnel
Target groups
● Backpackers
● Families with children
● Student groups
● Honeymoon couples, wedding ceremony participants
● Persons with disabilities
● Elderly people
● Representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora
● Citizens of countries with the common historical past
● Tourists from other countries
● Researchers
● Athletes
● Artists
● Members of international organizations
● Investors
● Representatives of big companies
● Small and medium business
Key steps to achieve sustainable tourism infrastructure
To minimize the environmental
impact and conserve natural resources,
it is important:
- to apply the principles of efficient planning through using environmentally friendly technologies;
- to implement innovations which have been successfully realized in other nature conservation areas;
- to take into consideration both environmental and cultural aspects
Thematic trails
This type of hiking trails is focused on discovering a specific topic, for example, nature, history, culture or other local features. These trails are usually divided into stations equipped with information boards or interactive game elements to create a unique tourist’s experience. Despite the fact that the Carpathian National Nature Park has a fairly long length of tourist trails, only a small part of them is actively used by tourists, causing a significant recreational load. This leads to trampling and destructing grass cover, soil compaction, trail shift, development of erosion processes on the slopes, damage to tree and shrub vegetation, littering the territory, and scaring away animals.
Development of entrepreneurship is one of the ways to unlock the recreational potential of the Ukrainian Carpathians
Pro-ecological business activities may include:
• agricultural or forestry activities that preserve natural values (e.g.: production of healthy food, logging, undergrowth);
• providing tourism services (e.g.: eco-agrotourism, phytotherapy, apitourism);
• within qualified tourism: mountain hiking, mountaineering, hunting, fishing;
• spa tourism;
• research-development and educational activities (e.g.: camps, camping, green schools, open-air painting, photography, ecological workshops);
• economic activities based on local cultural features (souvenir-making, handicrafts)
Partnership of all “key players” is crucial
Sustainable development of protected areas of the Ukrainian Carpathians is hard to imagine without coordinated cooperation of all “key players” in the field under study, namely parks and reserves, businesses and companies, educational institutions, amalgamated territorial communities, and public organizations. Partnership with foreign environmental organizations is also important, since this kind of cooperation will bring innovative, nature-oriented solutions for the issues of conservation and sustainable use of biological and landscape diversity, sustainable and integrated management of water resources and river basins, sustainable forestry, sustainable tourism.
Green investments
Green investments are aimed at developing technologies and infrastructure that reduce the impact of economic activity on the environment. These investments make it possible to stop air, water, and soil pollution, reduce the use of carbon and other harmful substances, and preserve natural resources. Besides, they contribute to the development of new technologies and energy-efficient solutions, which creates new business and employment opportunities within local communities.
Nature knows no borders
The Ukrainian Carpathians can be called the “hidden
gem” of Europe with a rich potential, which is
not fully unlocked nowadays. To achieve the goals
of sustainable development in nature conservation
areas, cooperation at local, regional and state levels
should be combined with partnership involving international nature conservation organizations.
We believe that joint efforts of international conservationists, researchers, and entrepreneurs will contribute to the survival of one of the most extraordinary landscapes on our planet.
More About Us
Webpages:
https://karpatskyi-park.in.ua/en/
https://www.discovercarpathians.com
Contacts:
E-mails:
cnnp.partner@gmail.com
promo.carp@gmail.com
Telephone:
+38 096 814 40 86
(Whatsapp, Telegram)
Maryana Pozdniakova